Beyond Death
by XAgent-Venom666X
Summary: JD lost his life tragically, but the powers that be discovered that he has a purpose far greater than what he had in his past life. Reborn in a new world, gifted with powers he will have to learn to control, he will need to fight harder than he ever had before. Alongside another like himself with a similar path before her, they will venture beyond life and death to their destiny.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Been doing some thinking as of late, and after combing over a few notes I made and speaking with my friend and mentor Wraith002, I decided to add another story to my list and see the direction it takes.**

 **This will be an OC insert story, but it is the harbinger for a large crossover series that will hopefully be one worthy of notice. Despite the category this will be apart of being so small and unnoticeable at times, I think there will be plenty out there who will find it entertaining and a good read.**

 **So, readers out in cyberspace, let's get this new journey started!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any of these franchises...**

 _ **A holy man had once said that death is only another beginning, had that same man seen and endured everything I have he would have choked on those very words.**_

 _ **Because, believe it or not, there is infact life after death. But there is a very, VERY, big catch to it. Something I had no idea of until I died myself.**_

 _ **The name's Jack Derranger, though many know me as JD, and my life up to this point had been anything but dull. My parents died when I five in a car accident and I was sent to live with my grandmother in Seattle, Washington. Growing up with her I was never bored, she had a pure heart and made everyday feel like a blessing.**_

 _ **As the years went by I took a strong interest in various forms of martial arts, enrolling in a series of classes while I was in middle school and advancing farther than most kids my age. When I reached high school I started full on MMA training, all while maintaining good grades in school.**_

 _ **My grandmother was naturally worried about my choice in 'hobbies', but after seeing me in training, and the amount of dedication I was putting into it, she gave her blessing on it as long as I promised to be safe.**_

 _ **When high school was over, I went on the ameature circut for a year before starting college. Winning a some, losing a few every now and again, even stalemating one or two, but I gave it my all and vowed to keep pushing.**_

 _ **Everything was good in my life, but things always have a habit of turning on its head when you least expect it. During my second year in college, I got a call from a friend of my grandmothers...she'd had a stroke and was in the hospital.**_

 _ **I made it back home just in time to say goodbye and that I love her before she passed away.**_

 _ **The fact that I lost the only family that I had left in the world had crippled me emotionally for a while. I threw myself into my school work and training like a man possessed, the grief driving me further, but it was the memories that I had that kept me from falling completely.**_

 _ **Finishing college, I had been approached by a sponsor who had been at my last few fights and offered to help me get into the professional MMA circuts. Everything I had hoped, trained and strived for was before me, and I took it.**_

 _ **My life became more busy than it ever had before. My training amped up to a whole new level, but it was something I had been working for since I was little, and I was ready to face it...**_

 _ **...what I wasn't ready for was for my first fight in the big leagues...to be my last.**_

 **X**

JD blinked as an endless field of white filled his vision, the brightness making it hard for him to make out anything around him. Although, he could feel that he was laying on something solid and warm.

He was confused, but not afraid. Which was strange considering he was somewhere he didn't know nor understand. Something about this place filled him with peace, as if all of his instincts were telling him that he was safe and had nothing to fear at all.

Blinking again, JD rose up to a sitting position and looked around, seeing nothing but an endless void of white surrounding him in every direction. Glancing downward at his form, he found himself wearing his black and red MMA gloves and trunks which furthur confused him.

"What's going on?" he wondered outloud, his voice echoing around him just as something clicked in the back of his mind.

 _People cheering and lights flashing, he was moving about the octagon shaped ring, keeping his opponent at a distance as he plotted how to get under his guard._

 _The other man lunged first, swinging a wide punch that he ducked under. Striking back with an uppercut that had been blocked, his opponent ducking back which left him open for a wide kick that manage to hit home against his exposed midsection._

 _With his opponent staggered, JD lunged and rained blow after blow on him, keeping him on the defense and gaining the upperhand. Taking the man down to the mat and attempted to get him in a grapple that would have him tapping out._

 _But the man he was fighting was experienced, and made the effort difficult for the younger fighter. Finding the right leverage and throwing him off, both rolling to their feet and preparing to go at one another again._

 _JD braced himself as they clashed again, trading blows back and forth and attempting to find another opening. He swung his fist out, connecting with his opponent's jaw and staggering him again._

 _Grinning, he moved in to turn the fight back in his favor...but he didn't see the other fighter's right fist coming up in time. Bringing his glove up to block, his movements too slow as the padded hand connected with the side of his head._

 _His vision turned abruptly to the side before crashing to ground level, all sound around him fading away as though he were sinking into water before his vision blurred away to pure white._

"The fight..." JD muttered when the memory settled, touching the side of his head where he'd been punched he felt no pain. No bruising or anything...but that wasn't right...

Looking around himself again, the young fighter felt numbness enter him when he started to piece things together. Being in the middle of a match, taking a solid hit to the skull and suddenly waking up in a field of white. If anything was to be believed, he was either unconscious, which he had been before and never experienced this before...or...

"...I'm dead..." his voice low, almost a whisper when the full weight of the two words came down on him. JD had always known that his chosen way of life was dangerous, and with a high rate of internal injuries among those who stepped into the ring any number of things could happen.

One of the most common was head injuries...and anyone who passed human biology would know that if one were to take a good shot to the head in just the right place it could have devistating side effects for the victim. One of those being death if something were to be ruptured.

But the knowledge didn't make the situation any easier to swallow for JD.

Running a gloved hand over his shaved head, he closed his blue eyes and rested his forehead on his closed fists while his elbows rested on his knees. "My first fight in the pros...and I end up dead...fuck me..." he said still in disbelief, anyone would be the same in the position he was in now. "Why? Why now?"

 **"A question countless others have asked many times before."**

JD was on his feet, spinning around with his fists raised and ready to defend...but he wasn't expecting what he saw standing before him.

Or, more or less, hovering above the ground before him.

A being, taller than JD's 6'2'' frame, wearing a long grey/white cloak with a hood that covered their head and casting their face in shadows. Behind them was a series of tendrils made of pure-white energy that lazily whipped the air, seeming to keep the being in the air.

 **"Greetings, Jackson Derranger. Ease yourself, I mean you no harm."** said the being, their voice distinctly male, but had an echo-like quality that filled the void around them like a gentle breeze.

"Who are you? Where the hell am I?" the fighter demanded, keeping his guard up despite the cloaked one's words.

 **"I am Itherael, the Archangel of Fate."** said the being as he settled on the ground slowly, **"It is my duty to record what is, and what will be within the Scroll of Fate. And your assumptions upon waking are correct. You are deceased in the world of humanity."**

Itherael swept his hand to the void around them, **"As for where you are, this is what is known as The Veil. A place between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead where souls are sent to where they will spend eternity."**

JD lowered his arms completely, "Purgatory." he said, causing the Archangel to chuckle a bit.

 **"I believe that the term humanity chose to call this plain of existence serves the same purpose. But yes."**

Taking a few moments to let everything sink in, the young fighter rubbed the back of his head and took a few deep breaths before turning his attention back to Itherael. "I know this may sound like a broken record, especially to an Angel, but, you don't really look the part." he said motioning to the Archangel's 'wings'.

Itherael chuckled again, **"Your kind have a very,** _ **unique**_ **, imagination in what those of us in the High Heavens look like. But it is within your right as a sentient species to believe whatever you wish."** he hovered closer to JD and rested a gloved hand on his shoulder, **"I understand that this is much for you to take in. The end of one's life always is, especially when it is cut so tragically short."**

Taking another deep breath, JD spoke as calmly as he could. "What happens now? Heaven? Hell? Will I get to see my family again?" the questions flowed out of him like a river, all while wondering what was going to happen now.

The Archangel was silent a moment, as if deep in thought before speaking again. **"In a normal circumstance, a newly released soul from the realm of the living is judged by their actions in life before being sent to their eternal rest. However, your situation is an...unusual case."**

He stepped away from the young fighter and held out his hand, a flash of golden light filled his palm before materializing into a gold scroll with glowing-silver parchment. **"Talus'ar. The Scroll of Fate. Consulted only in times of great need, its contents changing only by the answers that I seek out while deciphering the threads woven by destiny. The fates of countless are store within its passages...but you, Jack Dawson, you are not in the Scroll. Your fate is unwritten."**

If JD had been surprised before, he was downright floored now. "W-Wait, what?! How can my fate not be in that scroll?! I'm dead!"

 **"The answer is actually quite simple."** Itherael said, holding the celestial artifact firmly in hand. **"Your fate is unwritten, because it has yet to be achieved."**

"I don't understand." said the fighter, still trying to wrap his head around so much hitting him at once.

Itherael opened the Scroll of Fate and gazed down at it, **"When a soul's fate is unwritten on Talus'ars parchment, the only meaning that could come from it is that the soul in question has not done what it was meant to do in life. Such an event is uncommon, but it has occurred on a handful of occasions, I have seen to them personally as the Archangel of Fate. Your soul in particular, has also garnered my attention."**

 **"When your death was all but certain, and I saw your fate absent from the Scroll, I consulted the All Father's wisdom on the matter. HIS answer was quite surprising."**

JD tilted his head when the Archangel mentioned 'All Father', racking his brain for a couple moments trying to figure out who it could be given his little experience with religion. The only thing that he could come up with had him gasping, "You mean God?"

Itherael tilted his head, **"Yes, although the title of which you humans call HIM is silly."**

"W-What did he say?" asked the fighter, nervous at what the almighty could have said regarding his death.

 **"To put HIS words simply, your life may have ended in one context, but your soul's true purpose has not been reached. Your fate has much more meaning than you can possibly realize."**

Closing the scroll and sending it away in a burst of energy, the Archangel explained further. **"When the All Father created life in its many forms, he opened the possibility for countless realms to come into existence. Each one altered in various ways due to the actions taken by those that live in them, yet at the same time, they are all tethered subtly to one another. For instence, what can be considered false and untrue in one realm, is reality in another."**

"Not to sound like an ass, but what does all of this have to do with me?" asked JD, he'd heard and read a lot about the idea of multiple worlds back in college. A couple of his friends had even gotten him into various forms of fanfiction that talked about such things in detail. Hearing it all of it was somewhat true from the beyond didn't seem as surprising as it should have been.

 **"It is what ties into your fate."** said Itherael patiently, **"In the instances where a soul's fate is unwritten, the soul is sent to another realm so that they can achieve what they could not in a previous life. Upon closer look at your life, and the direction it would take, it was found that your fate is intertwined with that of another. Someone who's own fate is also unwritten in the Scroll. Both of you destined to save two seperate realms and those that live within them."**

The Archangel saw the hesitation and ever building confusion on JD's face. **"Granted, you do still have a choice for where you go next. If you choose to move onto the afterlife and be with those you love, your decision will be honored. But know that no matter the direction you take, the conciquences of your choice will affect not only you, but countless others as well."**

 **"Such a situation shouldn't be taken lightly. You deserve the full truth on the matter which is why I'm telling you all of this now."**

JD stood motionless, doing his best to soak in what the Itherael had told him. Knowing he was dead was one thing, but to be told that his so called fate would be to save two other worlds. And that he'd be doing so beside someone else on top of it all.

Part of him wanted this to be some kind of dream. A concussion induced hallucination brought on by the hard blow to the head he had been given. But there was no 'waking up' for him, not from this, and the real question on his mind was what his decision to be.

On the one hand, it sounded like he was being given the option to continue living. Albet, in another place entirely. On the other, he could see his parents and grandmother again.

"What exactly will happen if I choose to go help this other 'Unwritten Soul'?" he asked, wanting to know as much as possible.

 **"Your soul will be sent to another vessel, one that will be the best fit to serve you on your path. Although there will be some changes that you will have to grow accustomed to overtime, but if your strength of will is anything to go by you should be able to handle the obstacles in your way."** replied the Archangel.

Taking the new information into account, JD mulled it all over in his head for what felt like the thousandth time. Part of him wondering what his family would think and what advice they would offer him.

 _"Who am I kidding, I know exactly what they would say. And it's not just the prospect of me staying alive either."_ he thought to himself as his mind cleared. If there was one thing his family every taught him it was to do the right thing, and be there for others that couldn't help themselves.

"Itherael," JD said turning to the watcher of fate fully, "As much as I would love to see my family again, I know that they would want me to keep living and helping where I could. That, and I still have a lot more fight left in me. So, I'll take option A."

Itherael nodded slowly, **"Vary well. Prepare yourself, child. The journey ahead will test everything that you are to the very depths of your soul. But you must push forward, and endure, even in the face of great threats and overwhelming odds."** the Archangel held out his hand, his palm glowing with heavenly energy as he placed it over the fighter's forehead, a wave of warmth flowing through him in the process. **"Best of luck to you, Jack Derranger. I will be watching with great interest."**

A bright flash of light filled the void once again and everything faded to black.

 **X**

In another place and time, a little girl with long brown hair wearing a light-blue dress and clutching a stuffed rabbit could be seen walking down a long, silent hallway. Soft-brown eyes looking at the various doors she passed as she aimlessly headed in one direction.

Eight-year-old Jodie Holmes traveled through the many corridors that made up the DPA facilities interior, having been here several times in the past couple of months, she had many of the more important places memorized.

Having been left at the facility once again by her parents, and having passed the daily sessions with Dr. Dawkins and his assistant, the young girl was free to wander the facility. So long as she didn't go anywhere or get into anything she wasn't supposed to.

Many would ask why a little girl would be in a place such as this on her own, but Jodie wasn't what folks would consider a 'normal' little girl. She was born with a strange and unexplainable gift, an invisible, sentient force that had been bound to her seemingly since birth.

She'd said that 'his' name was Aiden, and for the longest time the people around her believed that she had been referring to an imagineary friend. That was until strange and sometimes violent things started happening without reason. Lights flickering, objects moving through the air on their own. Then, one day, things reached an apex.

One day during the winter last year, Jodie had gone out to play in the snow and had joined a bunch of other kids for a snowball fight. One of the boys she managed to hit had tackled her to the ground and attempted to smother her with a handful of snow. Terrified and struggling, 'Aiden' attacked the boy, pulling him off Jodie and choking him in her defense.

After she managed to get Aiden to stop, the boy had called her a witch and ran away in fear. Since then, everyone would look at her in fear, disgust or hesitation. Her own father treated her with cold indifference and making her feel like a monster for something that was out of her control. She had begun to hate Aiden for making her life so horrible, but nothing would ever make the entity go away.

More than that, Jodie claimed that there were 'monsters' that came for her in the night on a few occasions, leaving scratches and bruises on her arms. But much like with Aiden, no one believed her.

Since the incident, she'd been coming to the Department of Paranormal Activities and working with Doctor Nathan Dawkins to better understand what was happening to her. Which was where she discovered that she was unique, special.

Although Jodie believed that she had some kind of curse, and really didn't feel as special as the kind doctor tried to make her believe.

Hugging her stuffed rabbit a little closer, Jodie padded softly around a corner, she had a destination in mind, one that Dr. Dawkins had brought her to several times since she started coming here. Reaching the proper door, she reached a little hand up and turned the knob before pushing it open and stepping inside.

The room she was now in was about as big as the one she stayed in from time to time, a lone bed was set up in the far corner with various machines around it. Various wires and IVs trailing to the still form of a young boy that laid motionless on the bed.

Stepping closer, Jodie looked at the boy that was only a year older than she was. His thin face a mask of peace while his reddish/black hair was shaggy from having been asleep for so long.

Jodie didn't know what a 'coma' was, but Dr. Dawkins had told her that he'd been in one for the last couple of months. He'd brought her here when she first started coming to the DPA and explained that, like her, the boy was special like she was because his mom and dad both were when they alived.

She didn't understand competely at first, but after everything that had been happening to her at home and at school, it was good to have someone she could confide in. Even though the other person was 'sleeping', both of them needed a friend. And the doctor told her that there was a chance that he could hear her speaking to him and might wake up.

"Hi." Jodie said softly before crawling into the chair that was set beside the bed and sat in it. "Mommy dropped me off for the weekend again, and Dr. Dawkins and Cole are busy right now." she explained to the motionless boy, having done so many times before. "School's been okay, no one's been mean to me for a while. And Aiden hasn't caused any trouble, which is good."

Silence was the response she got, but she was just happy to be speaking to someone about her troubles or her good moments that weren't her parents or a doctor. Jodie would come around every chance she got, it was nice to not be looked at like she was a freak.

"Are you having nice dreams?" she asked with a soft smile while absently playing with the ears of her rabbit. "I bet you have nice dreams all the time, I wish I could have more nice dreams." Jodie frowned as she looked up at the boy. "I...I also wish that you would wake up soon. I feel so lonely. No one at school will play with me, and call me names. Daddy says mean things about me when he thinks I'm not listening. I..."

Jodie clenched her eyes, tears spilling down her cheeks while her shoulders shook as she cried. "I j-just want a friend. Someone who won't be mean to me and will play with me. I don't want to be alone anymore..."

The lights around the room flickered without her notice, Aiden being affected by the backlash of emotions that was coming through Jodie's link to him. The entity trying to figure out a way to make his host happy...that was before they both heard it.

A soft groan, coming from the bed.

Jodie's tears stopped almost instantly and she perked up when she heard the noise. Looking to the boy she had been speaking to and leaning closer. "H-Hello?" she asked hesitantly, fearing that she had heard wrong.

The boy's eyelids shifted slightly, then slowly cracked open to reveal a pair of bright-blue orbs that were cloudy from sleep. Blinking a few times, he turned his head and looked toward the surprised girl sitting beside him. Dried lips parting as he spoke in a soft and slightly cracked voice.

"W-Where am I?"

 **A/N: And done, for now anyway.**

 **Like many of you have noticed, Itherael is borrowed from Diablo, mostly because he was the best option to me in how to get my OC from one life to the next.**

 **Speaking of said character, before anyone can ask, yes, I did base the way he looks to the main character from the PS2 game 'Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy'. And there will be many more elements of that game, which was and still is one of my old favorites, appearing throughout this story as things progress.**

 **I will have the next chapter up within the next week, until then let me know what you all think. Till next time.**


	2. 1) New Life

_**...**_

 _ **...**_

 _ **...I was in a dreamless sleep. It was the best way I could describe what happened after meeting with Itherael.**_

 _ **When the bright light faded I was lost in a void of black, none of my limbs responding, feeling like they were being weighted down leaving me with only my thoughts as I drifted through seemingly nowhere as time stretched on endlessly.**_

 _ **Occasionally I would hear voices, too far away and too muddled for me to make out clearly. I had no way of knowing where the Archangel had sent me, but wherever it was I needed to get out of the dark before I lost my mind.**_

 _ **Being alone, immobile and unable to do anything but think was straining on the brain, and I only hoped that whatever was happening would end soon.**_

 _ **Then, seemingly by the thought of it, I saw a light pierce the shadows around me in the distance that slowly started to draw closer. The sounds I was unable to make out before becoming clearer as the light enveloped me.**_

 _ **The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes, blinking away the blurriness from my vision, was that I was laying on a bed in what looked like a hospital room. Various machines surrounded me that beeped in time with my heart.**_

 _ **Turning my head to the side, I blinked again when I saw a girl who couldn't have been older than eight looking back in surprise. I asked her where I was, my voice sounding higher in pitch than I remembered, but before she had a chance to say anything back the door to the room burst open and people in white coats rushed in.**_

 _ **Everything after that happened in a blur. The 'doctors' put me through a series of tests from checking my vitals to taking blood samples. It was during this long drawn out process that I learned that my voice wasn't the only thing that had changed.**_

 _ **When Itherael said I'd be put into a new body he hadn't been kidding, I had woken up with the body of a nine-year-old!**_

 _ **Initially I freaked, which startled the doctors who were checking me over, but I managed to calm myself down and do my best to relax as to not draw anymore attention to myself.**_

 _ **Staying silent as the people around me went about their duties, I watched them and tried to learn where exactly I was.**_

 _ **It was a good thing that my mind remained as it was before I 'died', because I was quick to discover that I hadn't awoken in a hospital, but instead in a government facility called the DPA. In addition, I, or more or less my new body, had been in a coma for the last couple of months due to an accident.**_

 _ **Which must have been how my soul got into my new form, the original soul must have passed on which left the opening Itherael needed to get me here...but where to go now? What was I supposed to do? And why was I sent here in a younger body?**_

 _ **All my questions would have to be answered another time. When the doctors were done checking me over I was brought out of the room I woke up in. My legs a little weak given they hadn't been used for a while, but I managed to get them working well enough as I was led to a bathroom with a shower.**_

 _ **When they were sure I was okay on my own, I was left alone to get washed up with a clean set of clothes to wear afterward.**_

 _ **For the time being, I would have to go with the flow while keeping my eyes and ears open to learn everything I can about this new world and why I was sent here.**_

 _ **And hope that my new life wouldn't end as quickly as my last one did...**_

 **X**

Despite having a little difficulty running the shower with his shorter stature, JD managed to operate the knobs and clean himself. Doing so while letting his mind think back to the sudden change he had experienced since his 'death'.

 _ **"Your soul will be sent to another vessel, one that will be the best fit to serve you on your path. Although there will be some changes that you will have to grow accustomed to overtime, but if your strength of will is anything to go by you should be able to handle the obstacles in your way."**_

Itherael had said this before he was sent here, but JD didn't fully expect to have to literally 'grow' accustomed to it.

 _"Beggars can't be choosers,"_ the de-aged fighter thought as he reached up and turned the shower off, _"Especially when your brought back from the dead apparently."_

Stepping out of the shower stall, JD grabbed a towel from a nearby rack and dried off before pulling on the set of clothes the doctors had provided him with. A simple grey t-shirt that had a simbol of a bird holding a shield with DPA imprinted above it and a pair of sweatpants.

When he finished dressing, he approached a sink with a mirror infront of it. Wiping the fog on the surface from the steam, he got a good look at his new face.

JD looked similar to what he did when he was younger back in his old life, his hair, which he hadn't seen in a couple years since he shaved his head, was a little darker, but that was the only desernable difference.

Blue eyes scanning over his now younger face one more time, there was a knock on the bathroom door which drew his attention. "Is everything alright in there?" a man's voice called from the other side.

 _"Play it up, remember, you're nine-years old and woke up in a strange place."_ JD coached himself mentally while he take a deep breath. "Uh...y-yes!" he called back, his young voice sounding nervous..

The door opened and a tall black man in a white coat poked his head in, a gentle smile on his face when he saw the 'boy' dressed and ready. "Hello, how are you feeling?" he asked kindly.

"I'm...okay." JD answered, maintaining his facade of a scared child, "Who are you? What is this place? No one said anything to me when they..." he trailed off, his voice talking on a more hesitant tone.

The man entered the room and knelt down to his eye level. "I know your scared. I would be if I woke up in a place with no idea how I got there. But you're safe here, no one will hurt you and we only wanna help."

Smiling again, the man held out his hand, "My name is Cole Freeman, what's yours?"

JD reached for the hand slowly, then paused. He didn't know what his name was in this world. All he had was the one he had before along with the memories of his past life, but here, there were no memories that came with his new body.

A complete blank slate, which made things difficult.

"I...I don't know..." he said after a few moments, scrunching up his face in concentration and made it look like he was struggling. "I...I can't remember..."

Cole hummed and gave him a sympathetic look, "That's alright, you've been sleeping for a really long time, it's natural for you to be a little confused. We can help you with that too."

JD nodded slowly as Cole stood back up to his full height, "Come on, there's someone that wants to meet you." he led the young fighter from the bathroom and down a long corridor leading back in the direction of the room he had woken up in.

The place really did look like a hospital, the set up looking very similar. But the feeling in the air told a different story, and the smells, this place was something different.

Making a few turns and heading down a few more hallways, past more people either dressed in lab coats or business casual, they came to a stop infront of a lone doorway. "Here we are." said Cole as he opened the door and motioned for JD to enter.

Stepping inside, he found himself standing in a small room with no windows with a table and two chairs set up in the middle. A ring of flourescent lights were overhead and offering all of the illumination for the small space.

Another man sat at the table across from where JD entered, the de-aged fighter had to blink a few times when he saw that the man looked like a young Willem Dafoe in every detail.

Looking up from what he had been reading, the man smiled before he stood, "Well, hello there." he said, is voice also sounding exactly like the famous actor which had the 'boy' blinking in surprise again.

"This is Doctor Nathan Dawkins, the man I told you about." said Cole as he patted JD's shoulder, "He's the one that's been looking after you while you were sleeping."

"Thank you, Cole. I can handle it from here." said Nathan making the man straighten a bit. "Go check up on Jodie, would you? She's been very animated since our young friend here surprised her."

The dark-skin man nodded as he slipped back out into the hallway, the door clicking shut behind him leaving JD and Nathan alone.

Returning to his seat, the older doctor motioned to the chair across from him kindly. "Please, have a seat. There is much for us to talk about." JD walked up and sat down in the seat, the height being just enough for him to put his arms on the table.

"Before we start, how are you feeling?" the doctor asked.

"I'm okay, just confused." replied the 'boy'.

"Any ache's or pains? Do you feel dizzy? Tired?" Nathan asked again, each question slow and deliberate as to not push him.

JD shook his head, his stomach taking that moment to let out a small growl that sounded loud in the sealed off room. "...hungry." he said, wishing there was a plate of food infront of him.

Nathan nodded, "I'll take you straight to the cafeteria when we're done here. Don't worry, this won't take very long." he said before looking back down at what he had been reading before, which looked to be a file.

"All I need you to do is answer a couple of questions, is that alright?" asked the older man. JD nodded to him and took a deep breath before Nathan spoke again. "Can you tell me your name?"

"No, Mr. Freeman asked me before, but I can't remember it." answered the 'boy'. "Do...Do you know what it is, Mr. Dawkins?" he asked back, doing his best to sound hopeful.

Nathan frowned a moment before smiling at him again, "I do, you're name is Johnathan David Vattic. Though, your parents liked to call you JD."

 _"Different name, but at least the initials are enough of the same."_ JD thought to himself, "My parents?" he asked outloud, returning to his acting roll. "W-Where are they?"

The doctor looked sad, "Do you remember them? Do you remember anything that happened before waking up" he asked back.

Again, JD shook his head, forcing tears to his eyes. "N-No...I can't...I can't remember anything!" he exclaimed, holding the sides of his head and making himself look distressed. It may have been a bit of overacting, but it was the only thing he could do for the situation.

Nathan stood and came around to his side, kneeling down and bringing him into an embrace. "Shh, it's alright. Everything's going to be alright." he said soothingly, like a father would a child. The 'boy' letting himself be held and calmed down.

After a few minutes, the doctor pulled back and looked him in the eye, "You're going to be okay. I'll make sure of it." he said honestly, a small smile stretching on his face that JD returned. "What do you say we get you something to eat? Then we'll figure out what to do next."

The de-aged fighter nodded, wiping his face a bit as Nathan led him from the meeting room and back out into the corridors. Taking a short elevator ride down to the ground floor and entering a large cafeteria where only a handful of people were scattered about eating.

After putting together a tray with a couple sandwiches, a carton of juice and an apple, JD was brought over to the side of the large room where he could see Cole sitting beside a little girl with long brown hair who was also eating. It was then he realized that it was the same girl who had been sitting beside his bed when he woke up.

"Cole, Jodie, afternoon." Nathan said as they appoached, "Hope you don't mind us joining you."

Cole looked up and grinned, "Not at all." he replied as they sat across from him and his charge. "How you doing, little man?"

"Starving." JD replied before digging into one of the sandwiches that had been gotten for him. It wasn't an exageration either, he felt as though he hadn't eaten in days...which was more than likely since his new body had been in a coma for so long.

"I bet." said Cole as the two older men shared a light laugh.

"And how have you been, Jodie?" Nathan asked the girl, who ducked her head down and shrugged. "I would like you to meet JD, he's going to be staying with us for a while." he continued, introducing the de-aged fighter. "JD, this is Jodie Holmes."

JD swallowed the bite in his mouth and smiled at the girl across from him, seeing that she looked to be shy he thought he would be as kind as possible. "Hi." he said with a wave.

Jodie's cheeks turned a light pink as she hid her face behind her hair, "H-Hi." she all but whispered back,, not saying anything else as she poked at the food on her own plate.

"She's a bit shy, so don't take it personal." Cole said as he gently patted Jodie's back. The table lapsed into silence, which gave JD time to reflect on things he had experienced thus far.

 _"Okay, my situation thus far; I died and was reborn in a young body in another world. I'm in what looks to be a government facility made to look like a hospital. And the people around here who seem to have taken an interest in me are concerned with my 'lack of memory'."_ he thought, listing through everything while he ate quietly.

It still wasn't much to go one, but it had only been a couple hours. And given his new age, there would be more than enough time to gather the rest of the pieces.

"Jodie, JD, Mr. Freeman and I need to have a private talk. Will you two be alright for a minute or two?" asked Nathan.

The two children nodded as the men stood and moved to the other side of the cafeteria. Now alone, JD looked over at the girl across from him who looked like she was lost in her thoughts while staring at the table top before her. _"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to get to know someone 'my own age'."_ he thought ironically.

"So, what is there to do for fun here?" he asked, the sound of him speaking had Jodie snapping back to attention, but keeping her gaze anywhere but the 'boy' across from her.

 _"Nothing, gotta try something else."_ "Mr. Freeman and Mr. Dawkins are nice." His response was a subtle shrug and nothing else. JD knew that most kids were shy at a young age, he remembered he was the same a bit back when he was a kid the first time.

Looking down at his tray, he picked up the juice carton and downed the rest of its contents before he spoke again. "You were there...when I woke up." That got a response, a surprised look and a little color in the cheeks, but it was something. "Were you talking to me? I think I heard your voice."

Jodie didn't say anything at first, most likely embarrased at being found out. "Y-Yes." she mumbled after a few moments, "Mr. Dawkins said that, when people sleep like that, someone talking to them can help wake them up..."

"Did you talk to me a lot?" he asked, getting a nod in return.

"I...I don't have a lot of people to talk to. And you looked lonely too." she explained, keeping her face hidden from view, "I was hoping you would wake up, so that we could be friends. Then you woke up and..." she trailed off, more or less thinking about the bull-rush of doctors that barged in and all but shoved out of the room where Cole had been waiting for her.

"Jodie," JD said, making her glance up to see him smiling at her, "Thank you, for keeping me company while I was sleeping." he said which caused the girl to smile softly back at him, "And, I would like to be your friend."

The last statement brightened Jodie's face even more, her smile spreading wider and her whole mood changed. "Really?" she asked, a little hesitant despite her blooming happiness.

JD held out his right hand, pinky extended toward her, "Really, really." he replied. The young girl reached her own hand out and linked her pinky around his. Sealing an unspoken promise between them.

 **X**

Hovering just above the two, Aiden looked on as Jodie started talking more with the boy Dawkins brought into the cafeteria.

The entity had been curious about him since his host first started speaking to him while he was in his coma. Something about JD felt different compared to other people, there was a strange aura that surrounded him that did not appear around others.

Moving in closer, Aiden got a better look at the boy and tried to figure out what he could about him. But when he got too close, the aura that covered JD would pulsed and repelled him away a foot or two, the boy blinked and looked around a moment before shrugging and focusing back on Jodie again.

Unaware fo the now agitated entity buzzing around angerly. Something like that never happened before, and Aiden wasn't liking it one bit. A few things around the table rattled with his frusteration as he reached out toward JD with his consciousness-

 _"No Aiden!"_ Jodie's voice pierced through their mental link and making him freeze. Turning to look at her, he saw her brown eyes glaring up at him, sending her displeasure at his attitude. _"Leave him alone...please."_

The desperate sound her voice made had the entity reeling a moment before he hovered over to the girl and returned to his place close to her.

"Everything alright, Jodie?" JD asked, having seen her look off in another direction and glare at the air.

"Yes...e-everything's okay." she replied, obviously nervous about being caught scolding Aiden but thankful that he didn't seem to push the subject. They returned to the conversation they were having, leaving the entity looking on in silence.

As much as Aiden wanted to cause trouble, like he did to anyone else who tried to bring some form of harm to Jodie, the last thing he wanted to do was make her unhappy. So for now he would watch, and if JD proved to be trouble for Jodie, then Aiden would protect her like he had so many times before.

 **X**

"You sure it's a good idea?" asked Cole as he and Nathan both discreetly watched the two children interact with one another.

"They both could use a friend, Cole." replied the man's superior while adjusting his glasses, "Especially given the circumstances."

Cole nodded in understanding, "He doesn't remember anything? His parents? The accident?"

"Nothing. Which is troubling." said the older doctor, "If something were to trigger his memories, there is no telling what could happen. It is crucial that we keep an eye on him, just incase." Nathan looked back over toward Jodie and JD, the two children laughing at something the boy had said which brought a smile to the older man's face.

He knew that the two of them being around one another would be good for both of them, and he had a feeling it would also help greatly in his research.

"I want you to keep close tabs on the two of them, Cole. Report to me if there is any kind of change with either of them regarding their 'uniqueness'."

The research assistant nodded as they continued to watch the kids quietly. Both of them wondering how much things would be changing around the facility in the coming days.

 **X**

When lunch had ended, Nathan and Cole both took JD for a tour around the large facility. Showing him the various places he could go, and the few he could not without an adult being with him.

Jodie had joined them, wanting to be close to her new friend as he was shown around the place she had been coming to for as long as she could remember.

For his part, JD kept his eyes and ears open, making it look like child-curiosity as he took everything in and logged it away to memory. Just incase he needed to know the layout of the building for emergencies, or if he had a moment to sneak around and learn a bit more.

As the day drew close to the end, he was shown the last place on the little tour, which happened to be where he would be staying. And if the young-fighter had to admit, it was a very nice set up.

The large room resembled a one bedroom apartment. The door opened up to a small living room with a tv, coffee table and a couch, on the other side was an open doorway that led into a bedroom where a lone twin-bed, nightstand, dressed, desk and chair was set up. On the other side of the bedroom, next to an empty closet, was a small bathroom that was just big enough for one person.

 _"Damn, this place looks better than my apartment did back home."_ JD thought as he started walking around his new living space.

"I'll have some clothes and a few other things brought in to make this place more comfortable for you." said Nathan as he stood by the doorway. "If you need anything, don't be afraid to let me or Cole know."

"Thank you, Mr. Dawkins." said JD turning back toward the doctor. "Um, what happens now?"

Nathan smiled, "We'll work on trying to help you remember a few things, then we'll see about getting you into school. But for now, I want you to get plenty of rest. Tomorrow a doctor will give you a check up to be sure you're healthy, we'll take things one step at a time from there, okay?"

The 'boy' nodded just as Cole and Jodie entered the room, the young brunette rubbing her eyes and yawning. "Hay, it's late. I'm gonna put this one to bed." he said motioning to the tired girl beside him. "Be seeing you in the morning, little man." the researcher said to JD before leading Jodie to her room, which was right across the hall.

"Night, JD." Jodie said, yawning again.

"Night, Jodie." the de-aged fighter said back as her door closed. His young body taking the moment to remind him that he needed sleep as well when a yawn creeped up on him too.

"Best turn in too, you've got a long day tomorrow." said Nathan, sending one more smile at the 'boy' before taking his leave as well.

Taking a few moments to be sure he was really alone, JD let out a breath and ran his small fingers through his hair. "One step at a time...right." he said outloud, another yawn breaking through his lips and knew that he couldn't stay awake for much longer.

 _"One of the many curses of being young again."_ he thought, making his way to the bed and crawling under the covers. Getting comfortable in a matter of seconds with his eyes already growing heavy.

Deciding to worry about what was coming for the morning, JD slipped into a gentle sleep. The first day of his new life coming to an end.

As he slept, oblivious to the world around him, a shadow in the corner of the ceiling started to shift of its own accord. Smoke-like tendrils sliding along the walls as a pair of glowing-red eyes leered down at the sleeping form below.

A few seconds passed, then the shadow slipped back into the darkness. Vanishing just as quickly as it had appeared.


	3. 2) Awakening

_**It's surprising at how fast time goes by when you least expect it.**_

 _ **Two weeks had come and gone since I woke up, and I'd adjusted as best I could to life at the DPA. It was strange living in a place that was, in all purposes, a hospital run by a government funded agency, especially since everyone around me was either a doctor, a researcher, or an agent. But I managed as best I could, since I really didn't have any other choice really.**_

 _ **In the first week I was checked over by several doctors, making sure that I wasn't suffering any ill-effects due to being in a 'coma'. When I was given a clean bill of health I was given a series of tests to see where my academic standing was.**_

 _ **The questions I was given were easy, scratch that,**_ **very** _ **easy. But I needed the people here to believe that I was still a kid. Not someone in their 20's reborn in a 9 year-old's body. So I answered many of them correctly, while purposely getting one or two wrong to make it more believable.**_

 _ **In the end it worked, no one at the DPA suspected a thing as they moved on to another set of tests to examine my vision, motor skills and fitness level. Passing all of them flawlessly, though the fitness test I couldn't falsify too well and one of the doctors made note at how I was in better shape than most 'kids' my age.**_

 _ **Even with a younger body, I fully intended on keeping fit. Push ups, crunches and various warm ups first thing in the morning to get my blood flowing and warming up for the day. Although I wasn't strong enough to do the more rigorous training I had done before my death, it was still good to start small and work my way up.**_

 _ **Being around Jodie had also become part of the new routine I had with day to day life. Her parents would drop her off from time to time to go through her own tests, and afterward the two of us would hang out together. Either in one or the others room, the cafeteria, or the rec room set up for DPA employees. The two of us becoming fast friends in the process.**_

 _ **After a time, I started to wonder why she was at the DPA. Nathan Dawkins explained to me that DPA had stood for Department of Paranormal Activity. At first, I thought it was some kind of cover up for something else, but given how strict things were around the facility, and the neighboring military base, I had a feeling the government wouldn't fund bullshit if there wasn't some kind of truth to it.**_

 _ **If this was the case...why was Jodie here? Why was**_ **I** _ **here? What was going on that we weren't being told?**_

 _ **I got my answer one of the days when I was to have one of my scheduled tests.**_

 **X**

JD yawned as he finished getting dressed in a pair of jeans and a black Tony Hawk t-shirt after having finished his light morning workout and a shower.

His living space had changed pretty quickly over the last two weeks. His closet and dresser were full of clothes that would fit his current size, some being larger as he grew, there were a couple of superhero and martial arts posters on the walls along with a few toys scattered about, still sticking with his acting role that fit the age he was now.

Although, one of the things that he now owned, which brought back a lot of good memories for him, was a PS2 that was hooked up to the tv in his 'living room'. It was of the many things that made this world strange, being back in the year 2000 when he's seen and experienced all of the advancements in the decade and a half to come.

Though, it felt good to experience the evolution of gaming all over again.

Just as he finished tying his shoes, a knock came from the door before it opened and Cole stepped inside. "How's it going, little man?"

"Alright, I guess." JD replied standing upward. "Is it time already?"

The researcher nodded, "Afraid so, but hay, Jodie's coming by today for her own test. The two of you can hang out when it's all done."

Nodding back to the man, the de-aged fighter followed him out into the hallway where he was led down the same path he'd been going down for days now. The tests he was put through on a scheduled basis was a little tedious, but if it kept up appearences and helped him learn a bit more then he wasn't one to make waves.

Although he wondered why the hell he was being put through all these tests in the first place. Because he was pretty sure that somewhere down the line it was no longer about helping him get his 'memory back'.

Leaving the room, Cole and JD walked down the familiar path through the facility's hallways, saying hi to a couple people the de-aged fighter had gotten to know in the last couple weeks before entering the same meeting space he met Nathan in before.

The doctor in question sat in his usual spot on the other side of the table in the middle of the room. "JD, right on time. Are you ready?"

"I guess." JD replied with a shrug as he looked at what was on the table. It looked like some kind of headset with wires connected to it with a small array of pads facing inward that glowed a light-blue.

Laying next to the headset was a leather bound photo album, inside contained pictures of people and places he hadn't seen before, but a select few showed a man and a woman with a small boy with them.

It wasn't hard to discern that the photos were infact of his parents, or, more or less, his new body's parents. The test was supposed to help jog his memory, given that he was supposed to have amnesia, the headset was to monitor his brainwave patterns as he looked through the book while Nathan spoke abouy his 'family'.

So far there hasn't been any success...and for good reason. "What if it doesn't work this time?" he asked looking from the headset to the doctor.

"Then we will think of something else." replied Nathan while he adjusted his glasses. "But for now, all I want you to do it look at the album one last time, and try to remember. But don't strain yourself too much, if you start feeling any discomfort, let either Cole or myself know immediately. Okay?"

JD nodded in agreement as Cole picked up the headset and set it on the top of his head, making sure that it was comfortably in place before patting his shoulder.

"You really can rock the headwear, little man." the researcher said giving him a thumbs up. The de-aged fighter gave him one back as he and Nathan left the room leaving him alone. A few seconds ticked by before he felt the headset vibrate softly.

'You can start when you're ready, JD.' Nathan's voice came in over the intercom in the corner of the room.

Sliding the album infront of him, JD flipped open the cover to the first page that showed a two story house that was painted white with green window shutters. The home that belonged to his 'parents' before he had been 'born'.

Scanning the photograph for almost a minute, he turned the page and looked at another that showed his 'parents'. Of course they looked nothing like is real parents, but they looked like a happy couple that were ready to start a family.

The man was completely bald, had piercing blue eyes and an average build wearing a white dress shirt and slacks. The woman was a brunette also with blue eyes wearing a yellow sundress that had a noticable bumb signifying that she was pregnant.

Smiling a bit at the couple, he turned the page again and saw another one of them. This time they were in a hospital bed together with a baby cuddled between them.

 _"Memories of a life that was never mine in the first place."_ JD thought to himself as he turned the page once again.

 **X**

On the other side of the two-way mirror that overlooked the room, Nathan and Cole sat at a bank of computers and observed the boy as he looked through the album. A couple monitors had a series of lines moving across them that tracked JD's brainwaves.

"Everything's stable, no change." Cole reported as he kept close tabs on the readouts before him.

Nathan kept his calculating eyes on the boy, wondering if this session really would have any affect. Nothing seemed to be triggering his memories.

He'd known JD's parents for some time, they were amazing people before their deaths. They had both had also been magnificently gifted, something that the doctor knew could have been passed down to their son.

Infact, he'd heard from his friend about a month before the accident that JD had started showing signs of-

"Nathan." the older man snapped out of his thoughts and turned to Cole who was looking at the monitor wide eyed. Nathan followed his gaze and saw that there was a spike in JD's brainwaves.

Whipping his head to look into the room, he found the boy holding the side of his head, looking to be in pain.

"...could it be?"

 **X**

JD continued to flip through the pages, starting to grow bored with the session already but keeping up with it as best as possible...then he stopped on one of the photos that he had seen several times already.

One depicting a 2000 Ford Explorer that was four-door and red in color. The Vattic family car. The one that they were riding in when-

JD felt a lance of pain go through his left temple. Wincing, he held the side of his head as he continued to look at the photograph, images that he had never seen flashing through his mind that he never recalled seeing before;

 _Sitting in the back seat, mom and dad talking while rain pelted the windshield. Looking out the window at the passing landscape on the side of the road as they headed toward home..._

The pain increased, the de-aged fighter put his other hand to the other side of his head. His brain feeling like it was getting mulched from inside his skull.

 _Bright lights flashed...a loud horn blaring..._

JD stood up from his chair, the sound of his blood rushing drowning out all other noise like the mad torrent of an ocean as he stumbled about, he could vaguely make out people calling his name but couldn't focus enough to hear anything well enough.

 _...a woman screamed...the sound of metal crunching and glass shattering reverberating through the air..._

Something warm dripped down from his nose over his lip, the smell and taste of iron filling his senses while his vision blurred in and out. His head hurt, his body felt numb as he collapsed to his knees as the world around him started to swim.

Make it stop.

 _...the world spun around...more crashing..._

Make it stop!

 _...More screaming...crying...fear...pain..._

"MAKE IT STOP!" The words ripped from his throat in an anguished wail, unknown to him, his body was covered in a shroud of blue, ethreal energy that exploded out of him in a large wave. The furniture in the room was sent flying, smashing into the walls and shattering on impact and leaving large cracks on every surface all around him.

When the burst of power died down, JD collapsed completely to the floor. The ache in his head now a dull throb, but he felt weak, his eyes growing heavy as darkness creeped around his vision.

The door to the room crashed open and he heard Nathan shouting before he felt hands gently turning him over before everything slipped away.

 **X**

Jodie walked through the entrance of the DPA facility, a small smile on her face as she headed toward her room. Her good mood making several of the adults she passed smile to her in return.

She couldn't wait to see JD, the two of them had gotten so close in the last couple of weeks and because of that she looked forward to every visit to the DPA. She finally had a friend, one that didn't look at her strangely or call her bad names.

He was really smart too, he helped Jodie with her homework from school whenever she brought it along with her on her weekend visits. No matter how bad her day got, she could always find solice in the fact that she had JD there to make her happy.

Rounding the corner that would take her to where her's and JD's rooms were, Jodie paused when she saw Cole and a doctor stepping out of her friend's room talking in low tones.

"His vitals are all normal, but his brainwave patterns have changed drastically." said the doctor as they looked over the clipboard in their hands. "It's remarkable, his Beta-waves were through the roof in that short period of time. Now all of his brain frequency cycles have increased beyond what can be considered normal for an adult. What happened in that room?"

"Classified, I'm afraid." said Cole. "Dr. Dawkins wants this kept under wraps until he is sure that he has all of the information that he needs for his assessment."

The doctor nodded before writing a few more things down and headed farther down the hallway. Cole watched him leave before Jodie's voice had him perking up. "Cole?" The researcher turned and smiled at the young girl who was looking up at him confused.

"Hay there, princess. Did you just get here?" Cole asked while kneeling down to her level.

Jodie nodded, glancing at JD's door before turning back to him, "Is something going on? Is JD okay?" she asked back, worried about her friend.

"He's fine, just a little under the weather, that's all." the researcher replied. But the slight concern in his eyes when he spoke told her that something else was going on. "Your test has been postponed for a little while, so you're going to have to play in your room for a bit before we're ready, okay?"

Nodding again, Jodie was led into her room. Sending another glance at JD's door before her own closed, leaving her alone.

Glancing around at the books, toys and games around her, the girl just sighed before she sat down on the small couch in her living room. Staring blankly at the black tv screen infront of her as concern and worry ate away at her stomach.

She didn't want there to be nothing wrong with JD, and she was scared that something happened to him that Cole wasn't telling her. He was her only friend, and she just wanted to know that he was okay...that's when an idea hit her.

"Aiden?" she said looking up at the seemingly empty air above her. "I need to check on JD."

The entity bound to her spoke to her through their link, something that only Jodie could hear. Conveying his frusteration and questioning why.

"Because he's my friend and I'm worried about him." she said back. Aiden buzzed more words in her ear making her frown. "He's not like everybody else!"

"..."

"No he's not!"

The screen of the tv cracked and sparked when the entity blasted it from the small tanturm he was having from the argument.

"STOP IT AIDEN!" Jodie shouted as she stood up and glared at the air. "Fine! If you won't help me, then I'll go see him myself." she made for the door, but was stopped when her desk slid across the floor and blocked her path.

Frown deepening, she moved around the desk and grabbed the doorknob. The door opened a crack before it was pushed closed and held that way. "Let go, Aiden!" Jodie exclaimed while trying to pull the door open with all her strength.

"..."

"I won't let you stop me from having a friend! JD makes me happy! Doesn't that mean anything to you?!"

There was silence for a long stretch before the invisible force keeping the door closed vanished and Jodie was able to pull it open again.

"..."

She looked up when the entity spoke again, "He won't hurt me, Aiden." she said, mostly understanding why he was being this way, but still not liking how he was acting. Shaking her head, she stepped out into the corridor in time to see Nathan leaving JD's room.

"Jodie? Is there something you needed?" he asked.

"I just wanted to check on JD. Cole said that he wasn't feeling too well." replied the girl.

Nathan nodded in understanding, "Well, he is doing a bit better now. You can go in and see him for a little while if you want, but he needs rest right now, so not too much excitement. Understand?"

Jodie nodded back to him as he pulled the door open for her and allowed her entry. Stepping inside, moving slowly through the room that had the same layout as her own, "JD?" she asked as she entered the bedroom.

She paused, eyes wide not expecting the sight before her.

 **X Fifteen Minutes Prior X**

JD woke up with his head feeling several sizes too big, groaning as he sat up slowly with a hand placed to his right temple in a vain attempt to releave the pain. _"Jesus...it feels like I just woke up from a 24-hour bender."_

He blinked a couple of times, the pressure letting up just enough for him to see straight again and finding himself back in his room laying in bed. At the end of the bed, seated in a chair, was Nathan.

"How are you feeling, JD?" he asked, seeing the de-aged fighter awake and sitting up.

"Dizzy...what happened? I remember looking at the album...and then..." he was suddenly bombarded with memories that weren't his own. The pressure in his head returned full force as they all played out through his mind, a tingling sensation dancing along his skin while this was happening.

Cracking his eyes open, JD gasped when he saw a light-blue aura flowing along his arms. "W-What is this?!" he exclaimed, the ethreal wisps of energy flaring a bit brighter with his emotions, several items around the room rattled as the very air around him seemed to vibrate.

"JD!" Nathan said loud enough to catch his attention, "You need to relax! Close your eyes, take slow deep breaths."

Doing as he was told, the de-aged fighter closed his eyes and took several calming breaths. Trying his best to ease the malestrom that was his mind. The pressure in his head lessening as seconds ticked by, along with the anxiety of what was happening to him.

When he opened his eyes again, the glow around him had faded greatly before vanishing completely. "What's happening to me?" he asked looking at Nathan, his young voice genuinely worried about what was going on and how.

The doctor removed his glasses and breathed out his nose slowly, "Something that is a part of who you are." he said calmly standing and moving his chair next to the 'boy's' bed. "You're special, JD. Just like your parents were."

Taking out a file that he had brought with him, Nathan flipped it open to the first few pages which had the picture of JD and his 'Family' he had seen in the album. "I do not know what your parents told you, or if you even remember, but they could do amazing things that no one else could possibly understand. And it was believed that you could inherit the same abilities." he started to explain.

"What you went through today was a Serial Recall, it's what happens when you see something from a moment in your life and remember it in a certain order. The sudden burst of memories you received somehow triggered the abilities locked within your mind."

JD swallowed dryly, licking his lips as he tried to think of his next question. "What...abilities?" he asked finally.

Nathan locked eyes with him, "They're called Psionics, unique skills that are powered by the brain that has only been found in a very rare few. Your parents included."

"Your father possessed telekinesis, the ability to move things by thought. And your mother could read peoples thoughts as easily as a book. Both were extremely gifted, it was believed that you would develop similar powers, and after today it would seem we were right."

Taking a while to digest the information, looking down at his hands as he thought about the weird glow he had seen a few minutes ago. "What does this mean? What's gong to happen now?" he asked.

The doctor patted his shoulder, "It's one of the reason's you're here, JD. Before the accident, your father told me that you started showing signs of being a psionic. He and your mother were intending on bringing you here to be checked when I got the call about what happened, I had you brought here when I was ensured that you were in stable condition to be looked after."

"I made a promise to your parents long ago that I would be there for you should anything happen to them. And now that you're showing signs of being gifted like they were, I intend on keeping that promise."

He smiled and patted his shoulder, "I'm going to do everything in my power to help you, JD. Abilities like these require not only practice, but great understanding of what they're truely capable of. And I'm confident that you'll be able to do great things one day."

Blinking at the man, the de-aged fighter continued to listen while he spoke. Nathan talked about a type of training regiment that would be starting in a couple of days, long enough for him to rest a little after the incident that day. After a bit of planning and explinations, the doctor gave him another pat on the shoulder before leaving him to rest.

Now alone, JD started really thinking about what had transpired. The mere thought of having powers like he was describing was unreal, but the evidence spoke for itself. Then he remembered what Itherael had said to him before he woke up again;

 _ **"Your soul will be sent to another vessel, one that will be the best fit to serve you on your path. Although there will be some changes that you will have to grow accustomed to overtime, but if your strength of will is anything to go by you should be able to handle the obstacles in your way."**_

Eyes locked on his hands, he slowly closed them when the full weight of the archangel's words hit home. _"Changes that I'll have to grow accustomed to...now it all makes perfect sense."_ he thought with a deep sigh.

Looking across the room at a pile of books resting on the top of his dresser, JD started getting curious about his newfound power. Reaching his right hand toward the books, consentrating on wanting them to move.

Nothing happened.

JD narrowed his eyes, focusing harder while trying to remember how things had happened before. Sweat broke out along his forehead as the strange, blue glow from before came back, traveling and flickering along his arm that stretched outward toward the books, which began to shutter.

Then, slowly, the one on the top of the stack started to rise into the air, the one under that one following, along with the one under that. Soon enough, all five books were hovering in the air, shrouded in the same ethreal glow as his arm.

Shocked, but still managing to keep the objects in the air, JD slowly pulled his hand toward himself. The books slowly drifted across the room and hovered around his bed, the covers opening and pages turning as he held them in place. His shock being quickly replaced with excitement, a grin spreading across his face at what he was now able to do...

"JD?"

The de-aged fighter snapped his head to the entrance of the room and gasped when he saw Jodie standing there frozen, mouth open as her wide eyes gazed at what was happening infront of her.

"...uh...hey Jodie." he said, his concentration failing and all the books feel to the floor making them both jump when they landed. Both kids were silent for a few moments, one trying to figure out what to say while the other was trying to figure out what they had just seen.

It was Jodie that broke the awkward silence first. "That was cool." she said with a smile spreading on her young face, "How did you do that?"

JD smiled back, knowing full well things around the DPA just got a lot more interesting.


	4. 3) Creatures in the Night

_**Another month went by after the discovery of my new powers, and since then things around DPA had changed drastically.**_

 _ **It's almost everyone had forgotten about my amnesia and was now focused on helping me hone my psionic abilities. And I had to admit, they were pretty damn cool. Cole had even joked and called me a Padawan on several occasions.**_

 _ **Never thought that Star Wars would play a role in the man's teachings, but even I had to admit that it was a pretty good definition considering what I can do now.**_

 _ **Telekinesis was surprisingly easy to learn, it was literally mind over matter so that I could lift and throw things with my thoughts. However, execution of it was a different story. A good deal of concentration was involved in order to even get my TK to work, and would have to 'exercise it' as much as I would a normal muscle so that it would become stronger overtime.**_

 _ **That's where Nathan's new training regiment for me came in. Twice a week I would meet with him and Cole in a room that had been set up with the intention of helping me practice my psionic abilities. We started small, lifting small objects to grow used to it and moving up steadily to larger ones.**_

 _ **Then we started doing more complex things, building things with blocks using only TK, juggling golf balls, we started playing catch soon after. Cole tossing a wiffle-ball my way that I could catch and toss back with my powers.**_

 _ **Nathan said I was making great strides in such a short time, he also said that it was possible for me to unlock further abilities that weren't restricted to what my 'parents' could do. But that wasn't imperative at the moment, and I needed to focus on working with what I can do now.**_

 _ **Though there were other things going on other than my new powers.**_

 _ **Jodie had been coming by the facility far more frequently than usual, staying overnight more often than what had used to be considered normal. And each time she looked more and more distressed.**_

 _ **Whenever we would sit down together, she'd tell me that things at home haven't been going good. Her mom and dad had been fighting more and more lately, and it was all centered around her and the 'strange things' that happen around her.**_

 _ **Her dad had also been acting very cold and distant toward her, which didn't sit well with me. Philip Holmes came off as a complete asshole, the rare few times I'd seen him dropping Jodie off at the DPA he was as cold as stone and looked to want to be anywhere but there for a second longer.**_

 _ **I instantly didn't like the guy, and since I was a kid again I made my dislike of him known as any nine year old could. And my mood didn't improve at all since.**_

 _ **The only thing I could do was be there for Jodie like any good friend should...and just like any good friend I also got very worried about her with something else.**_

 _ **She would come in at times with scratches and bite marks on her hands, arms and legs. At first I thought her father or the kids at her school were going too far and was going to say something to Nathan and Cole, but Jodie told me that the marks weren't caused by a person.**_

 _ **They were caused by 'monsters'.**_

 _ **I'd been skeptical at first, more than skeptical, but the more she talked about it and how she'd been attacked several times in the past. She was scared almost every night that they would come for her again.**_

 _ **I didn't know what to do, but I promised that I'd do what I could to protect her from the so called 'monsters'...of course, I had no idea that my chance to do so would come much quicker than I believed.**_

 _ **It had also been the first time I met Aiden.**_

 **X**

It was late in the evening, almost time for bed, JD usually spent that time either reading, gaming or getting in a light workout before going to sleep. But recently he had started a whole new different 'hobby'.

Sitting crosslegged in he middle of his room's living space, he stared intently at a large collection of legos scattered around him. The blue aura of his psionics flaring around his outstretched hand as the little plastic bricks rose into the air and assembled together, forming into a six-foot tall model of the empire state building.

He'd been at it for almost two hours now, a slight headache having already formed from all the concentrating required to do the task. When the last brick was placed at the very top of the tower JD relaxed, standing up on dead legs and stretched a bit to get blood flowing again as he observed his work.

Nathan had told him he was free to practice his powers in his room so long as he didn't exert himself too much, and he took advantage of that little green light to do just that.

In only four weeks he'd been able to lift multiple objects, some being as heavy as 10 pounds, and move them without trouble. Though it was only the beginning, and just like keeping himself physically in shape, he had to keep his mind just as sharp to improve his new abilities.

When the pins and needles feeling in his legs finally faded, JD headed over to the bathroom to get changed for bed. Coming out a minute later wearing a simple black t-shirt and sleep pants, he yawned and headed to the small kitchenette in the main room for a drink of water when the sound of raised voices could be heard out in the hallway.

Curious, he treaded toward the door to his room and opened it a crack to see what was going on. Surprised to find Nathan and Cole speaking with Jodie's parents.

"We're done, Nathan! We can't take it anymore." Jodie's dad said harshly at the head doctor, "First there was the 'invisible friend' she keeps talking to, and then there was stuff moving around the house by itself, and now these things that are attacking her in the middle of the night..."

Nathan shook his head, "Philip, I know it's difficult, but I-"

"You don't understand." Philip Holmes said, his tone cold and serious. "We're done. We quit. Tell her we had to go away, I don't even really care, but there is no way she's coming back home with us, okay? We want our normal life back."

Jodie's mother cried a few feet away, but said nothing as her husband did all the talking. Cole looked somewhere between sad and angry at the situation.

"She's just a child..." Nathan said, not wanting to believe what the other man was telling him. "You're the only family Jodie's got! She needs you...You can't dump her just like that!"

Philip shook his head, "She'll get over it. But we're done pretending, okay?"

JD felt like he was just punched in the chest. Jodie's parents were abandoning her! Just throwing her away because her uniqueness was becoming too much for them to handle...or, too much for her so called _father_ to handle.

The shock of what he was witnessing was replaced by a burning anger that steadily grew each passing second. Opening the door the rest of the way, he stepped out into the hallway and attracting the attention of the four adults.

"JD? Hey buddy, were we too loud?" asked Cole. Doing his best to not let how things were affect his attitude toward the young psionic.

JD didn't respond to him, instead sending a hard, burning glare at Jodie's dad who now looked very uncomfortable. "You don't deserve Jodie." he said, his voice very cold and making everyone but Nathan shiver. "And you're no father, a real dad would never abandon his child."

Philip snapped his head, to Nathan, "Can you get him out of here? This doesn't concern him."

"Jodie is _my friend_!" the de-aged fighter snapped, completely forgetting that he was supposed to be acting like a kid. "And you're hurting her! Leavng her because you're a coward!" he looked toward Susan Holmes who looked distraught, "And so are you, for letting this happen at all." When he was finished he pushed past the adults and headed to the door leading to Jodie's room.

"Hay!" Jodie's dad said gripping the 'boy's' shoulder. "Where do you get off you little-"

JD whipped around, his eyes blazing with blue ethreal light, his hand snapping up as a small wave of power shot forth. Philip was stuck in the chest by the unknown force and landed heavily against the wall on the other side of the corridor, everyone stunned silent by what had happened giving the psionic time to go into his friend's room without trouble.

When the door closed behind him, JD leaned against it heavily with his eyes wide. Looking down at his hands wondering what had happened back there.

He didn't intend on 'blasting' the man back like that, but he was a complete asshole for what he was doing to Jodie and he just lost it. For someone to forsake their own child, and willingly abandon them because things were becoming 'too much to handle'. Did he not see how special Jodie was? How much support she needs?

 _"Fucking dickhead."_ JD thought bitterly as he dropped his arms and sighed, deciding to worry about what happened later, along with any reprimands he might get from Nathan or Cole for doing what he did, he had more important things to concern himself with.

Walking farther into the room, he found Jodie sitting in the middle of her bed, dressed in a pink nightgown with her knees pulled up to her chest with her chin resting on them. Tears sliding down her round cheeks as she stared at nothing.

"Jodie?" he asked, making her blink and look his way. The broken look on her young face tearing his heart in two. What monster would put a child through this willingly?

Without saying a word he crossed the room and crawled onto the bed, sitting beside her and putting an arm around her shoulders. The brunette turned and buried her face into his shoulder, light sobs shaking from her as she started crying, her smaller arms going around his middle as she held onto him with everything she had.

Neither of them spoke as JD held the broken girl and offered her what comfort he could, "They don't want me anymore." she said when she calmed down enough to speak.

"They're stupid to let you go." replied the psionic, "They don't know what they're throwing away."

Jodie raised her head and looked up at him, "N-No one cares about me, JD. I-I'm just a freak-"

"No you're not!" JD exclaimed, pulling her to him and hugging her again, "Nothing about you is a freak, Jodie. And _I_ care about you. No matter what happens, no matter what other people say or do, I won't abandon you."

"...Promise?" Jodie whispered, holding her friend tightly.

"I promise." the psionic said back

They stayed like that for a while, not wanting to move for one reason or another. Eventually they separated, sitting side my side on Jodie's bed. "Aiden saw what you did to my dad..." the brunette said while playing with the hem of her nightgown.

"He did?" asked JD, a little surprised at the mention of Jodie's 'friend'.

When she first mentioned Aiden, he'd been a little skeptical, thinking that she had made an imaginary friend like most lonely kids. But then he started noticing things whenever they were alone together. Objects moving on their own, echoing noises that seemed to come from nowhere, and then there was the morning he woke up and found his room completely trashed.

He'd mentioned it to Jodie, who looked scared and angry at the air above them. It had been at that point when he started to realize that Aiden might not be as 'imaginary' as he first thought.

Nodding in answer to his question, Jodie turned to look at him, "You didn't have to do that. What if you get in trouble?"

JD shrugged, "The things he was saying, and acting like it meant nothing to him, it made me mad. I wasn't expecting to blast him away like that. And as for getting into trouble? It was worth it."

Jodie smiled at him and layed her head on his shoulder, the broken heart from her family abandoning her slowly mending.

 **X**

Inside the monitoring room, sitting at the bank of computers that showed the various camera angles within the childrens' rooms, Nathan and Cole were both smiling as they watched the interaction between JD and Jodie.

"He's certainly protective of her, isn't he?" asked Cole as he took a sip of the coffee infront of him.

The older researcher nodded, "Their friendship has been ironclad since the beginning. And Jodie certainly has benefited from it." he removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "I can't believe that Philip would go this far...The night attacks were a surprise, but I thought he would at least care more for her well being than to just throw her away like that."

Cole hummed in agreement, a flash of anger going over his eyes at what the Holmes' had done. "JD was right, he is a coward. And Susan's no better, what mother could allow this to happen?"

"The only thing we can do is be there for her when we tell her the truth." said Nathan as he slipped his glasses back on. Looking back at the screen and smiling again when he saw the two kids curled up together fast asleep on Jodie's bed. "At least she has someone who will be there for her and is reliable."

Yawning a moment later, Cole looked toward his good friend and patted his back, "You look beat. Why don't you get some sleep. I'll take first watch."

Nathan nodded as he yawned again, "Alright, wake me if there's trouble. Night, Cole." he said leaving the room and heading toward his own for the evening.

"Night, Nathan." replied the other researcher, taking another drink from his coffee and watching the feeds before him.

 **X**

It was much later at night when Jodie suddenly opened her eyes. The lights in the bedroom were off, but the ones in the living area were dimmed to allow just enough illumination to see.

Rubbing her eyes, Jodie looked over to see JD still sleeping, his face relaxed and peaceful as he dreamed.

She smiled at her friend and laid back down to try and go back to sleep when she noticed something was missing. "Bunny Gruff!" she whispered to herself, remembering that she never got her cherished stuffed rabbit from her overnight bag.

Slipping out of bed as quietly as possible so she didn't disturb JD, Jodie slowly made her way toward the living area and the chair where she had set the bag down. Unzipping it and finding the stuffed animal sitting inside waiting for her, she smiled as she picked it up and hugged it close before making her way back to bed.

The lights around the room suddenly started flickering, making her freeze mid-step. Her breath catching in her throat when an all too familiar cold chill went up and down her back.

"A-Aiden?" she whimpered, hugging her rabbit close as she looked around the room in growing terror. The entity hovered down close to her, watching as every electronic around them started going crazy. The lights flickering non-stop, the tv turning on and off, and a nearby radio sputtering static. Neither of them could see anything, but they both knew something was there.

Something that had come after Jodie before.

Breathing heavy as her fear mounted, Jodie remained rooted to her spot as she tried to figure out where _it_ would come from.

"Jodie?" her eyes snapped to the doorway to the bedroom where JD was stepping out yawning while rubbing his eyes, "What's-" when he looked at what was happening he became wide awake, his gaze darting around the room a few times before settling on the girl. "What's happening?"

Jodie fear stricken face filled him with dread, "Th-They followed me..." she whimpered.

"Who?" asked the de-aged fighter, worried about his friend while the lights kept flashing. "Who followed you, Jodie?"

The brunette opened her mouth to speak...then froze completely. Her eyes widening as she looked at something that moved in the shadows back in the bedroom...

"BEHIND YOU!" Jodie screamed.

JD whipped around just as something slammed into his stomach, the force knocking the wind out of him and throwing him across the room into a bookshelf that collapsed on impact. He hit the floor with a loud thump and groaned as pain reverberated through his body, pain that was forgotten when Jodie screamed again.

Bringing his head up, he saw things around the room getting tossed around. His friend ducking and hiding in her kitchenette behind the counter to avoid being hit. "AIDEN! GET HELP!" she called out a loud growls started echoing through the room.

Movement on the ceiling caught JD's attention. The surface looking to distort like water while something came crawling out of it. A creature that looked more alien than anything he had ever seen, the body of a squid that looked to be made of shadows with a wide, gaping mouth filled with sharp teeth at the bottom end with a pair of sinister red eyes that glowed in the darkness.

Four long, whip-like tendrils sticking out of its sides latched onto the sides of the strange opening it was crawling out of that helped launch it into the room. The living shadow then banked left, coming back around and flying straight at Jodie with its mouth wide open, a haunting shriek bellowing as it closed the distance fast.

Doing his best to ignore the pain wracking through him, JD snapped his hand out and picked up a handful of books with TK and flung them at the creature. The projectiles reaching their intended target...and passing right through it.

Whipping around when the books had gone through its form, the creature shrieked in outrage before launching itself at the young psionic. Snapping out of his stupor from his attack having no affect, JD barely had enough time to roll out of the way, going over shattered wood and scattered books as the entity vanished into the floor where he had been laying.

Staggering to his feet, feeling the sting from the cuts on his arms and face, JD looked left and right. Trying to find where the creature would come out next when Jodie screamed again. Finding her gripping the counter she'd been hiding behind while the shadow-creature attempted to yank her into the air with its tentacles wrapped around her feet.

"JODIE!" he shouted, grabbing anything he could with his powers and throwing them at the entity, but like before the objects passed through it and having no effect. _"Fuck! What do I do!"_ he shouted in his thoughts, desperately trying to think of someway to attack the thing attacking them.

That's when he remembered what had happened with Jodie's father earlier, the blast of psionic energy he hit the man with when he grabbed him.

With no other options, and with the creature getting more violent in trying to yank his friend into the unknown, he started to replicate what he had been feeling the moment he knocked Philip Holmes back before.

Letting his anger build, he also felt his power building as well, when he managed to get a feel for it he mentally grabbed onto it. Remembering the meditative and concentration techniques he'd been learning, he started gathering it all to his hands.

The light-blue aura of his powers flared as he thrust both open palms forward, a blast of psionic energy launching forth and hitting the creature dead on. A shriek of surprise echoed from its maw a moment before it was blown through the wall and vanishing from sight.

Jodie yelped as she was released and dropped to the floor, shaking off the fall quickly and getting to her feet before running to JD, whose eyes were glowing with the same energy he had unleashed on the entity. "W-We need to get out of here." she said, clinging to her friend's side while her eyes darted around them.

More shrieks could be heard, three more strange portals opened on the walls allowing three more creatures to come flying into the room. JD didn't hesitate and blasted one of them away, the other two doing an immediate about face, roaring at the kids and shooting toward them.

The psionic quickly blasted one of them, grabbing Jodie and pulling her down as the other flew over their heads and disappeared back into the shadows.

Even though the attacks were working, JD was starting to feel light headed. Constant use of his powers was already starting to take its toll on his young body and was making it harder to maintain them. Jodie was right, they needed to get out of there and fast.

"Jodie, get to the door." he said, concentrating on keeping his abilities powered up and looking out for more creatures. The brunette nodded and ran for the entrance, the moment she started moving another entity burst out of the bedroom and went for her.

JD grit his teeth and threw a psi-blast at it, throwing the creature back into the bedroom. But he failed to see the second one come out of the wall on his left, black tentacles latching onto him and pulling him into the air before throwing him back to the floor.

"JD!" Jodie screamed, another creature coming out and grabbing her arm trying to pull her into the wall it had come through. "AIDEN HELP!"

The entity holding her screeched before it exploded in a black mist. Aiden having returned from waking a sleeping Cole, using his powers to obliterate the creature before going after the one that threw JD. The dark entity was destroyed just like the previous one, leaving nothing more than a black and grey mist that faded into nothing.

One creature remained, coming from behind the tv, knocking it over in the process, and making a b-line for the bound entity. Maw and tentacles wide in hostility, but it was quickly met with a powerful strike from Aiden and ending its existence.

When everything went quiet, Jodie quickly moved toward JD and dropped to her knees beside him. "JD? JD?!" she exclaimed, shaking him lightly and trying to get him to respond.

JD groaned into the carpet, raising himself up just high enough to turn his head. His scratches bleeding a bit and smeared across his face as he turned to look her way.

"They gone?" he asked, the dizziness from overuse of his abilities still affecting him.

Jodie nodded, thankful that her friend was okay. "Yeah, Aiden took care of them."

The psionic sighed in relief, "That's good." he grunted while pulling himself up into a sitting position. His whole body ached, feeling the bruises already starting to form on his torso from the hits he'd taken. _"Definitely will feel this in the morning."_ he thought just as the door to the room burst open, Nathan and Cole rushing inside and instantly going to the kids' sides.

"My God! Jodie! JD!" Nathan shouted as he held both of them. "Go get a doctor, NOW!" he ordered, Cole running down the corridor quickly.

"It's okay." Jodie said catching the man's attention. "It'll be alright now...Aiden's not afraid of them anymore. He and JD protected me."

Looking from her to the trashed room, the de-aged fighter couldn't help but wonder what had happened. And if this had only been the beginning of something.

 **X**

After getting checked over by a doctor, both JD and Jodie were cleared when no serious injuries were found. The scratches had been cleaned and bandaged, the psionic having the worst of them, and the kids were sent back to bed.

Since Jodie's room needed to be cleaned and put back together, it was agreed that she could stay in JD's room with him for the night.

Given what had happened, she didn't complain at all and was infact happy at the sleeping arrangements.

A couple hours later, after everything had settled down and the two children were put back to bed. JD laid awake staring at the celing above him, the attack earlier had left him a little paranoid and was finding it hard to go back to sleep.

Jodie laid beside him, hugging his left arm close with her stuffed rabbit between them as she sleep peacefully. _"At least one of us can rest."_ the psionic thought absently, smiling at her sleeping form before turning his attention back to the ceiling.

He never once thought that the stories she told him about monsters coming for her at night would be true. But seeing them in person, he knew now what he should have believed before. It made a bit of sense why her family was in such a hurry to ditch her...but it should promted them to try and protect her more instead.

He was just thankful he was able to help her when he did. Things could have been a lot worse in the end.

Blowing out a puff of air while trying to get his brain to stop wandering so much, he got the feeling that something else was in the room.

Sitting up, doing his best to not wake Jodie, he scanned his room for any signs of the creatures from before. Preparing to fight again to keep them both safe.

But something was different, the feeling he was getting wasn't one of hostility or malevolance, infact it almost felt...friendly.

"Hello?" he whispered to the silent room, "Someone there?" His response was a very soft echo, no real words, but whatever was there was attempting to communicate with him. JD's eyes widened when one possibility of what, or more infact _who_ , it was. "Aiden?"

The echo resonated again in confirmation making the de-aged fighter breath a little easier. "I guess this means we finally meet in person, sort of."

Aiden seemed to agree then went quiet. JD looked around for any sign of the entity but found nothing, but he knew full well that he was there as he kept the conversation going. One that he believed needed to be had after recent events.

"Look, I know why you were lashing out to me when Jodie and I hung out." he said to the air, "You were protecting her. I don't blame you for doing it, she deserves someone watching out for her. But I care about her too, and I'm going to be there for her when she needs me just like you are."

There wasn't a response, but JD knew that the entity was listening closely. "I will never abandon her, Aiden." he said with conviction. "And I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that she's happy."

The sound of rustling paper caught his attention, a notebook that had been sitting on his dresser flew across the room and landed in his lap. A pen followed a moment later that started shakily scratching at the blank page before him. Hard to make out at first, but after staring long enough the words 'Thank You' became very clear.

"It's no problem, she's just as important to me as she is to you." JD replied smiling. Aiden echoed again before going quiet. The psionic put the notebook and pen on his nightstand before laying down, feeling sleep finally starting to settle in as he got comfortable.

Jodie cuddled into his side, a content sigh escaping her as she continued to dream. It was the last thing he remembered before he finally succumbed to his own dreams.

Aiden hovered above the bed, a watchful guardian over the sleeping duo as he kept silent vigil all night.

 **X**

A few days after the attack, Jodie's parents returned.

JD watched the scene unfold from the doorway of his room, arms crossed as Philip weaved a bullshit story about them being transferred off the base and would be leaving. But that they intended on coming back to visit her when they could, and that when she was 'better' she would come to live with them again.

He didn't think it were possible for him to hate these people anymore than he already did.

When it was all said and done, the Holmes' left. Jodie's mother the only one showing any emotion at all about leaving her behind as they simply walked away. JD went into his friend's room where Nathan and Cole were consoling her.

She looked to him, tears streaking down her face once again, before moving quickly his way and hugging him. The psionic embraced her back without hesitation, "It's going to be okay, Jodie." he said into her hair. "I'm not going anywhere...you'll never be alone."

Despite her still fractured heart, Jodie smiled as she held him tighter. Aiden hovered close to them, offering his own comfort to the one he was bound to.

An unspoken promise that she was cared for and that she would always have them in her life no matter what.


	5. 4) Party

_**Five Years...**_

 _ **It's been five years since I was essentially reborn in this new world, and it has been a very long road thus far.**_

 _ **Physically I'm 15 now, I've gotten taller and a lot stronger, and so have my powers. Training my body and mind every day so that I was at my peak while I continue to grow.**_

 _ **My telekinesis has greatly improved, I can pick up a car and keep it in the air for a few minutes. My psi-blasts have a lot more force and can dent thick metal from several feet away. I have also managed to develope an ability Nathan referred to as 'astral-projection', I could leave my body in a spirit-like form and wander anywhere, even being able to pass through walls.**_

 _ **Though I can only go so far from my body in this state, and it leaves me very light-headed everytime, so I use caution when using this new power.**_

 _ **Jodie had also grown quite a bit, she's 14 now and also taller, but I stand a good head over her. Our friendship has become very strong since the incident with the dark-entities, there was hardly a moment when the two of us weren't together.**_

 _ **She had even started taking an interest in personal fitness, and had started training with me from time to time. All the time she had been spending around me had also made her a bit more outgoing and a little less shy, though she was still the soft spoken girl she had always been.**_

 _ **After her family left, they never came back. No calls, letters, nothing. Though it wasn't a surprise to me, and I made it my mission to make sure Jodie never felt alone. And since Aiden had accepted me as a big part of her life, the two of us worked together to make that a reality.**_

 _ **Granted, being friends with a ghost that was attached to my other friend was pretty damn odd. Then again, nothing is or ever will be normal with my life these days.**_

 _ **Although, for all the good that was happening, there were several things that weren't so great. The biggest of them was a couple years ago when Nathan got a call late one night.**_

 _ **His wife and teenage daughter had been on their way back from his mother's when a drunk driver hit them head on. No one survived. The doctor was inconsolable and locked himself in his office for days after the incident, too lost in his grief to do anything.**_

 _ **Jodie had gotten worried about him, both of us had, then one day she told me she was seeing things again. After the night when the dark-entities attacked us, I immediately too her seriously. She said she had been seeing a woman and a younger girl appearing around the facility, she had even said that she could hear them trying to talk to her.**_

 _ **Then one night, she went to Nathan's office, where she used Aiden to help her connect to the spirits that had been visiting her. Which, as it turned out, was the man's wife and child. Jodie acted like a catalyst and allowed the spirits to speak to him through her. Helping him through his grief as things around the DPA started to go back to, at the very least, semi-normal.**_

 _ **Which leads to the here and now. Jodie and I had started high school a couple months ago and we had been invited to a small party at a someone's house, whose mother also worked with Cole and Nathan.**_

 _ **Jodie had been excited in the days leading up to it, seeing a chance to fit in with others in our age group and to try and be a little normal. But for me, personally, I couldn't shake the bad feeling I got when the day of the party finally came.**_

 _ **A feeling that I have come to never doubt.**_

 **X**

In a small suburban cul de sac, a red sedan pulled up outside a two story yellow and white house. Behind the wheel, Nathan put the vehicle in park and turned his attention to his two passengers.

Jodie sat in the seat next to him, wearing a pretty teal dress with small flowers on it, white flats and a blue jewel necklace. Her dark-brown hair shoulder length and styled just right for the event she was attending.

In the back, JD was dressed far more casually. Ripped jeans and a black 'Skillet' hoodie with a pair of black and white converse sneakers. His once shaggy red/black hair had been shaved down to stubble, a recent development from his old life that he was more than happy to pick up again that no one brought into question.

"I...I'm not so sure..." Jodie said, looking about as nervous as she sounded. It wasn't a surprise, she had never been invited to a party like this before and was more than a little unsure of the situation despite how excited she had been before. "Maybe I shouldn't go."

"Jodie, you've been begging me for weeks, your not going to back out now." said Nathan.

"But I don't know anybody there." Jodie said looking down at her lap, "They might hate me...and this dress, this dress is awful."

JD leaned forward and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "I'll be there with you, Jodie. If they don't like you, than it sucks to be them. And as for the dress? You look great." he said with a gentle smile.

The brunette blushed a soft red while Nathan spoke again, "JD's right. Just take a deep breath. There's no reason to panic. It's just a birthday party, I'm sure everybody will like you. You might even meet some new friends."

Taking a deep breath, Jodie nodded as she opened the door and got out. JD right behind her, stetching his legs a bit. "JD." he turned back to the doctor who gave him a serious look, "Look out for her, alright?"

"You never have to ask me to." the psionic replied just as seriously. As he picked up a wrapped package from the back seat. A rare, 50 year old book of poetry by Edgar Allen Poe which was to be their present to the birthday-girl.

"I'll pick you guys up at 5, have fun you two!" Nathan called out before pulling away and leaving them on their own.

The two teens looked toward the house, one with hesitation, the other with casual indifference. "Well, we're not going to get our party on just standing here." said JD, slipping the present under one arm and holding the other out to Jodie, "Milady?"

Despite her nervousness, the brunette gave a small smile and slipped her arm with his as they walked to the door together. The psionic pressing the doorbell and they waited to be let in.

The door opened and an older blonde woman stood in the threshold, smiling when she saw who it was. "Jodie! JD! Please come in." she turned and called back into the house before either of them could say anything, "Hey Kirsten, you coming? I've gotta go!"

A minute passed and Kirsten appeared, nearly the same height as her mother put had darker hair. "Hey, Jodie and JD, right?" she asked. "Come on, we're in the living room. Some girls from my school and the least dorky guys we could find."

Looking toward the gift under JD's arm she motioned toward it with her chin, "Is that a present for me? Cool. Thanks."

"I'm off, darling." Kirsten's mom said, grabbing her handbag and heading for the door. "Look after your friends and don't do anything stupid, alright?"

"Sure mom, whatever you say." the girl responded snarkily as her mother left and she entered the living room through a set of double doors. "Finally she gets the hint!" she exclaimed to the soft cheers of those that were already inside.

Left by the front door, JD turned to Jodie with a raised eyebrow. "Not really much for conventional hospitality, are they?" His friend looked uncomfortably at where the party was going on, snapping her attention to him when he bumped her shoulder with his. "Hey, we can bail if you want."

Jodie shook her head and squared her shoulders, "No, I can do this." she said as strongly as she could manage.

Nodding, the psionic led them into the living room where everyone was gathered. "Everyone, this is Jodie and JD. They're in Unit 4 with my mom." Kirsten introduced them to the four others attending the party.

"Unit 4?" asked one of the only two other guys, dressed in jeans and a flanel shirt. "The Paranormal Department?"

"Wooo...Whatcha do there?" as the other boy, this one looking to be of asian descent. "Bend spoons, speak to dead people, stuff like that?"

Jodie shook her head, JD smirked, "No, we tend to play with ouiji boards and perform old satanic rituals for the amusment of the US government at tax payers' expense."

Everyone in the room chuckled, effectively breaking the ice while Kirsten clapped her hands, "Alright, party time! I'll get the beer! Guys, do the shutters. Girls, do the candles. And Jodie, you can take care of the music. Now lets get CRAZY!"

She bounded from the room while everyone split up, metal blinds came down blocking the sunlight from entering the room while the lit candles offered illumination. Jodie went over to the stereo system set up in the corner and started going through the channels, stopping on a pop song that everyone seemed to get along with.

Gathering around the small table where the cake and presents were set up, everyone sat in the chairs and couches that surrounded it while Kirsten came back in with a couple of six packs in her hand.

"Hid them under my bed for a week!" she said setting the beers down on the table, "Mom doesn't even go into my room anymore. She's totally oblivious."

"Kirsten, you're a genius!" one of the guys exclaimed while cracking open one of the cans and taking a drink.

Kirsten turned to JD and Jodie, holding a couple beers out to them. "You guys want one too?"

Jodie looked uncomfotably at the can offered to her, not expecting the party to take such a turn. Thankfully, JD stepped in. "Sorry. The folks at Unit 4 give us tests from time to time, they find alcohol, they'll freak." The brunette at his side sent him a thankful look.

"What, they don't let you have fun?" asked one of the other girls.

"Oh, we have fun." the psionic said with a smirk, "Usually involves scaring the hell out of the staff from time to time." he was of course referring to the few times he would use his TK to make some people believe there was a ghost around. Sometimes Aiden would join in while Jodie would either roll her eyes or laugh at their antics.

Kirsten raised an eyebrow, "Mom doesn't talk about work much. What goes on in that place?"

"Not a whole lot." answered Jodie, "It's actually pretty boring."

"So how do you guys pass the time?" asked one of Kirsten's friends.

Jodie looked hesitant, so JD was the one that spoke up this time, "Jodie here's learning to play guitar, she's actually pretty good. As for me, I do fitness and MMA training from time to time."

"MMA?" asked one of the guys interested, "You don't look the type, man."

The psionic raised an eyebrow before reaching over his shoulder and pulling his hoodie off, revealing the black wife-beater he wore underneath stretched over the muscles that had grown thanks to all the training he'd done over the years.

Even being physically 15, JD looked almost as he did in his past life.

All eyes in the room were on him, the girls stared with mouths gaping while the guys had looks of envy and jealousy. Jodie turned her head away, hiding her blush.

"...Eh, you don't look so tough." said the boy in the flannel shirt, though he sounded a little too unsure of his own words.

JD smirked at him, "Want to test that out?" he asked while cracking his knuckles. Not at all serious but enjoying the tense look he put into the kid.

Kirsten stood up, "Now boys, put the testosterone away and let's have fun!" the group scattered again, the guys heading to the kitchenette attached to the living room while the girls all started dancing in the open space near the stereo.

Alone together, the two friends watched everyone around them partying.

"Thanks for stepping in." Jodie said, low enough for only them to hear.

The psionic shrugged, "No problem. Even though you put up a brave face, I know you're still uncomfortable around new people. And I'm happy to act as a buffer."

Smiling at him, Jodie looked toward the makeshift dance floor, biting her lip in thought. "I...I think I'm gonna dance a bit."

JD grinned, "Sounds like fun. Let me grab a drink of something that doesn't taste like carbonated piss and I'll join ya." the stood and went separate directions. The psionic heading into the kitchenette and grabbing a Mountain Dew from a 12-pack that was sitting on the counter.

"Yo, JD. Want a hit?" he looked toward the counter where the other two guys were leaning on it passing a cigarette back and forth. Though the smell that trailed through the air told him that it wasn't tabacco they were smoking.

"No thanks, guys." he replied, popping the top of his soda and gulping half the contents. "It dulls my reflexes too much."

"Sounds like someone's never been high before." said the one in flannel, he and his friend laughing at the stupid joke.

"Sounds like someone's never been laid before." JD fired back casually which caused the other guy to sputter, "And no, thinking about your mom while whacking it doesn't count."

The one that offered him the joint was laughing hard, slapping the counter while trying to gasp in air. "Oh man! He burned your ass!" When the laughter died down, he held his hand out. "Name's Steve, by the way. The shmuck over there is Matt."

"Fuck off man!" Matt snapped back as he took another sig from the beer in his hands, the other two chuckling at his expense.

Steve looked to the dance floor and tapped the psionic on the arm, "Looks like your girl's finally loosening up a bit."

Curious, he looked to where Jodie was...and almost lost his hold on his drink.

His friend stood in the middle of the room, her body moving to the rhythm of the music. Hips swinging in time with the beat making look like she was flowing like water. JD had seen her dance before, but the way she was moving now was more than a little hypnotic.

Even though they had essentially grown up together, becoming close friends that seemed to border on being siblings, something had started to change. As they got older the psionic started to notice more things about her, like the way she smiled, the way she bit her lip when she was nervous, small things that were overlooked at first but was now something he saw constantly.

It wasn't rocket science for him to figure out that he was starting to grow attracted to his best friend. Which at first seemed very weird since he had the mind of someone nearly twice his age, but as time went on it didn't seem to really matter.

JD had been given a fresh start and wanted to take advantage of it. However, at the same time he had to go through all the old feelings and insecurities that came with that fresh start. And at the top of the list was the possible destruction of the only friendship he had in this new life of his.

Blinking, he came to the realization that he had been staring at Jodie for a couple minutes now. Feeling heat rising up to his face while he shook his head, _"I need some air."_ he thought, finishing his soda and heading over to the entrance leading back out into the main room by the front door.

 **X**

Jodie smiled, a little out of breath as she sat in one of the chairs set up along the outside of the dance floor. Even though she was still a little unsure with the party, she was finally starting to have fun.

Looking around the room, she frowned a little when she didn't see JD anywhere. _"Where did he go?"_ she thought to herself.

"Hey." Jodie looked up just as one of the other boys at the party took the chair next to her, "I'm Matt. Jodie, right?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah." she replied, brushing some hair behind her ear.

"I've never seen you or that friend of yours at school before. You don't take classes on base?" asked Matt.

"We're in our own program, private teachers and the like." she answered, "It gets kinda boring, not being around people our own age. It's a good thing we got each other to keep things from being too dull."

Matt nodded, "So...you and JD. You guys a thing or something?"

Jodie's face burned. "Uh...N-No. We're just really good friends." she said lowly, even though deep down she wanted differently.

She didn't know when it started, but somewhere along the line she began to really _look_ at him and take notice of all the things that she now found sweet, charming and even attractive about him.

They'd been friends for so long, seeing the best and worst of each other for years, but the dynamic had changed...for her at least. Which left a lot of hesitation on whether or not she should tell them how she felt and run the risk of ruining their friendship.

"So, you two work with Kirsten's mother?" asked Matt after a couple minutes of silence.

Jodie nodded, "Yeah, we work in the same lab. She thought it would be a good idea for JD and I to come spend time with people our age, so...here we are."

"I used to live in London before I moved here two years ago." said Matt. "How bout you? Where did you live before?"

"The base." said the brunette honestly, "I've always lived there. I was born there."

Matt tilted his head curiously, "How bout hobbies? JD said that you play guitar, anything else you like to do for fun?"

Adjusting in her seat, Jodie did another look around for JD before answering. "I like to read most of the time, and I like sports, sometimes I train with JD, he's been teaching me a few things for a year now. I can't leave the base, neither of us can, so it limits things for us."

There was another long pause before the boy spoke again, "Can I...Can I ask you something? Why are you in Unit 4?"

Jodie was really hesitant now, mentally debating on whether or not to tell Matt the truth or avoid the question entirely. Swallowing as best she could with her throat drying, she decided that Matt seemed nice enough talking to.

"I...I sort of...have a gift." she managed to get out. "A link, with an entity."

"An entity?!" Matt said wide eyed, "You mean...you mean like a ghost? Or something like that?"

Jodie nodded, "I know it sounds really crazy, but it's kind of like an invisible presence, that follows me."

The boy swallowed, glancing around them, "Is it...Is it here right now?"

A smile spread across Jodie's face, "I'm kidding." she said with a light laugh, causing Matt to sigh in relief.

"Shit, you really got me going there!" he said running his fingers through his hair. "I was starting to think you were completely nuts or something. Jeez." the song playing changed to a slower tune, catching his attention and missing the hurt look on Jodie's face from his comment. "A slow song, you up for it?"

Stomach flipping from a combination of anxiety and fear, Jodie managed to push the feelings down and decided to give it a try. It seemed innocent enough.

Nodding, the brunette stood up with Matt and stepped onto the floor. His arms went to her waist making her insides shutter nervously while her arms went up to his shoulders. They started slowly moving back and forth, the music guiding the rhythm as they danced together.

"You know, you probably hear this a lot, but your really pretty." Matt said as they swayed in place.

"Th-Thanks..." Jodie mumbled awkwardly, starting to feel a bit uncomfortable now...the feeling increasing greatly when she felt her dance partner's hands slowly slip around her waist, down her lower back toward her butt.

She pulled away immediately from the boy and put a little distance between them. "I'm...uh, going to sit down for a bit. Starting to get a little tired." without waiting for a response, she quickly retreated to where everyone else had started gathering.

"Hey guys! Why doesn't Jodie give us a demonstration of her super mega powers?!" one of the other girls called out after turning off the stereo.

Jodie froze on the spot and felt her heart lurch in fear, "No, no, no...I..."

"Yeah, I'd pay to see that!" Steve called out while lighting a new joint.

"Aw, forget it! It's just a load of bull." Kirsten's other friend, one wearing glasses, snarked.

The birthday girl herself gave the brunette a light shove, "Come on, Jodie! Show us what you can do!"

Biting her lip, Jodie shook her head adamantly, not wanting to expose herself or Aiden. Aiden hovered close to her, growing agitated from all the unwanted attention being thrust upon his host.

"See, told you it was total shit. She's nothing special." the snarky girl scoffed while everyone else looked disappointed.

Kirsten clapped her hands, bringing attention back to her. "Alright then. It's time to eat this awesome cake and open my gifts! So come on, gather round!" The group too their seats around the table like they had before and got comfortable. "Actually, the cake can wait. I'm opening my gifts first." said the birthday girl as she started opening them one after the other.

Jodie stood awkwardly on the side as the gift she and JD brought was picked up. The wrapping paper being undone until the old book was revealed for all to see. "What the hell is that?" asked one of the other girls.

"An old book..." Kirsten said with her face screwed up, "It smells funky..."

"It's a really rare collection. Poems by Edgar Allen Poe." said Jodie.

Kirsten gave her a strange look, "Edgar Allen who?"

"What? Did you steal this from your grandpa's library?" asked Steve.

"No. No, it's really rare." the brunette said, defending the gift and its importance.

"Yeah, just like your dress." the bispectical girl cruelly causing everyone else to laugh.

Kirsten held up the book, "Seriously, is this a joke? I can't believe you came all the way to my birthday party just to give me this old crap!"

"And she thinks she's so clever," the other girl added, "But she's just a lab rat...I bet they pumped that friend of hers full of steroids to make him like that."

"A freaky little lab rat." added Kristen's other friend.

"She's been following me around like a puppy all evening." Matt said standing up, "Begging for it."

Jodie shook her head, "That's not-"

"So she's a slut too, great, what a way to ruin my party." Kirsten snarled as they all got up and surrounded her. "I didn't even want to invite her, my mom made me."

"Definitely a slut, a slut and a witch." Steve said pushing her.

"We should do something to her, you know what they do to witches, right?" asked Matt, grinning sadistically.

"You BURN THEM!" one of the girls exclaimed, jabbing a lit cigarette into Jodie's arm making her scream in pain.

 _CRASH!_

Everyone jumped and spun around to find JD standing in the threshold of the living room, the double doors kicked off their hinges as he stood there with a murderous look on his face.

"Get the fuck away from her..." he hissed dangerously.

 **X A few Minutes Earlier X**

After washing his hands, JD looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. Rubbing his eyes before taking a deep breath. He needed to head back into the party, he'd been gone too long already, but he needed a few minutes to himself to get his head back on straight.

Checking his watch, he saw that Nathan wouldn't be there for another three hours. They just needed to get that far without too much trouble.

He stood from the sink and prepared to head for the door when a sudden cold chill went through the room. Shivering, the psionic glanced around for anything out of the ordinary before he recognized the aura in the air.

"Aiden? What are you doing here?" he asked confused.

The mirror fogged over and words started to get spelled out in fast succession on the reflective glass;

'Jodie's in trouble'

JD tensed and sprinted from the bathroom back toward the living room, heart pumping in his ears at the thought of Jodie being in danger. He'd just reached the doors when he heard her scream.

With gritted teeth, fury building in his chest, he smashed his right foot into the middle of the doors. Sending them flying off their hinges with a crash and startling everyone inside.

It took him two seconds to assess the situation, all the party goers surrounding Jodie who looked terrified and clutching her arm in pain.

"Get the fuck away from her..." he hissed while rising to his full height, fists clenched tight at his sides as he stalked into the room like a predator on the hunt.

Matt turned and held up his hands, "Easy mate, just a bit of fun. No need to-" he was sent flying when a hard right-cross struck his cheek. Taking him off his feet and sending him crashing to the floor.

Everyone else paled, eyes wide as they quickly backed away while the Brit laid on the floor in pain and holding his face. Jodie took the moment to break free and run to him, "JD...I want to go home..." she whimpered.

JD's eyes softened and he looked her over. Seeing that she was still holding her forearm, he gently moved her hand away...his eyes turned nearly to hard ice when he saw the clear sign of a cigarette burn in her once flawless, pale skin.

"Who did this to you?" he asked, his voice flooded with barely contained rage. Rage aimed at whoever had burned her...and at himself for leaving her alone like he had. Someone was going to pay...

Seeing the devistating retribution burning in his gaze, Jodie held his face in her hands and shook her head. "No, JD. Let's just go. Please?"

The sound of her voice eased the hurricane of dark emotions rushing through him. JD took several calm breaths as he calmed himself.

"Get out!" Kirsten demanded, making the duo looked back her way. "Both of you, get the hell out! I knew it was a bad idea to have you freaks come here! My mom was stupid for even making me think about it!"

She grabbed a full beer can from the table, "You're nothing but fucking MONSTERS!" she cocked her arm back and hurled the sealed beverage at them with all her strength.

In an instant, the fury returned to JD. His eyes blazed as he snapped his hand out. The beer freezing in the air halfway to its intended targets.

All noise came to an abrupt hault, even Matt stopped groaning as they all stared in shock at the now floating object. The psionic's eyes glowing with blue aura as he leered past the can at the one who threw it. "You may want to watch who you're calling monsters." he said lowly and with a hard edge, "Because at some point, you'll piss off the wrong one."

His outstretched hand clenched into a fist, at the same moment the can was crushed into a tight ball. Beer spraying in all directions before it was dropped to the floor with a dull thud.

Power pulling back some, JD moved his hand right. His hoodie flying to his hand and scaring those standing close to it. "Thanks for the invite." he said before leading Jodie to the front door, sending one last look at the group as he pulled it open. "Happy Birthday...fucking bitch." with that he slammed the door hard enough to rattle the windows.

The one who had burned Jodie gasped, all eyes turning to her when the saw the cigarette she had been smoking yanked from her hand. "What the fu-" her question was replaced by screaming when the burning end was stabbed viciously into her arm.

Aiden released the his hold on the cancer stick before blasting the birthday cake to pieces and throwing the table into the flat-screen at the head of the room. Satisfied, the entity flew after the duo with a grin on his non-existent face.


	6. 5) The One Closest to You

_**...**_

 _ **...The party was a complete disaster.**_

 _ **Not only had the bastards made Jodie the butt of their jokes and scorn, one of them ended up burning her with a goddamn cigarette while calling her a fucking witch!**_

 _ **I wanted to tear each and everyone of them a new one, and with how much Aiden had been all but vibrating after the incident I wasn't the only one. But Jodie held us back, kept us calm, she just wanted to get as far from that place as possible and I wouldn't deny her of that.**_

 _ **But if I was completely honest...as much as I hated the other kids for putting her through that, I hated myself more. If I hadn't have left the room, then things may not have ended up like they had in the end.**_

 _ **After all of the promises I made about protecting her, I felt as though I failed. And worse of all, I failed someone that I had come to truely care about.**_

 _ **The only thing I could do was be there for her...of course, that was before another unexpected curve ball was thrown my way.**_

 _ **Of course, compared to how the rest of the day had been, it made things a lot better for both of us.**_

 **X**

There was a 7-11 roughly half a mile from the house, it was really the only place they could go given the circumstances.

After using a payphone to call Nathan and tell him about what had happened and where they currently were. JD had used the little money he had on him and bought a couple of slurpies and some medical supplies before heading outside where Jodie was sitting at a picnic table beneath a large tree.

Her eyes focused on the wood surface before her while she had a hand resting over the burn she had been given.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked gently as he sat down beside her. It was a pretty stupid question to even be asking, but it had to be said regardless.

Jodie looked up at him, unshed tears still brimming in her eyes. "I...I knew I shouldn't have gone..." she whimpered. "They...they..." her speech began to break down into sobs and JD immediately pulled her into his arms.

"They were a bunch of assholes." he said holding her close and rocking her slowly. "I'm so sorry, Jodie. I shouldn't have left the room at all, I...dammit." the dark growl that rumbled in his chest was accompanied by a flash of blue in his eyes.

"It's not your fault," she mumbled into his shirt before pulling back and looking at him. "You can't always be there...I'm just really glad you came when you did."

"It shouldn't have happened at all..." the psionic said glaring at the ground, "Fucking bastards, I should have-" a pair of soft hands on his face brought him around to look at the soft-brown eyes before him.

Jodie shook her head slowly, "They weren't worth it, JD. You're better than that, better than them."

JD glanced to her right arm, the angry-red, swollen, circular piece of skin standing out against her pale complexion like a beacon. "You got hurt, it shouldn't have happened."

"It will heal," she said, bringing his attention back to her, "Hurting those guys wouldn't change anything, just make you look like the bad guy. That's not who you are."

Sighing deeply, knowing that Jodie would beat down any negative thing he said, the psionic simply nodded before turning his attention to the items he brought out of the store. "I bought you're favorite," he said handing her the cherry slurpie he'd gotten for her, "Figured a good brain-freeze would chase away the BS this day has become."

Jodie smiled as she took a long sip from the frozen drink. JD doing the same with his blue raspberry slurpie before picking up the few medical supples he also bought. Taking a gentle hold on his friend's arm, he carefully poured the small bottle of cool water over the burn, following up with a bit of peroxide to clean it before gently drying it with the sleeve of his hoodie and putting his drink cup against the small injury to act as a cold compress.

"I don't think it'll scar, but I'm not a doctor so I'm not completely sure." JD said after tossing the trash into nearby can and sitting back at the table. "Does it still hurt?"

"It tingles a bit, but no, it doesn't hurt." replied the brunette. She bit her lip a moment before speaking again, "JD...thank you."

The psionic raised an eyebrow, "For what?" he asked confused.

"For always being there, for looking out for me and protecting me...you're a great friend." Jodie admitted with her cheeks coloring.

JD's face darkened as well, but he fought it down as he reached over and held her hand on the table top. "I promised I would always be there. Which is why I'm kicking myself for not being there when all that BS went down...I'm sorry."

Jodie squeezed his hand with hers, "You're too hard on yourself, you know that? Like I said, you can't always be there, and I don't expect you to. It's just really good to know that you're there when I really need you."

The two shared another smile just as Nathan's sedan pulled up in the small parking lot outside the store. The man himself stepping out and heading there way at a brisk pace.

"You two alright?" he asked, kneeling down and looking them over like a worried father would.

"As well as to be expected, given the day we've had." replied JD while the doctor looked at the burn on Jodie's arm. A scowl appearing on his face before he turned his attention back to them.

"I talked with Kirsten's mother right after you called, she went right back home immediately to deal with her daughter and her friends...I'm sorry I made you go, Jodie." Nathan said with a voice full of regret and guilt.

Jodie shook her head as she got up from the table, "I just want to head home." she said, and neither Nathan or JD could fault her as they headed to the car. Pulling out of the 7-11 and heading back to the DPA in relative silence.

 **X**

Later that evening, JD was making his way back to his room from the gym, a towel wrapped around his neck that he used to clear the sweat from his forehead.

After such a long day, he needed to blow off more than a bit of steam and spent the last couple hours working on a heavy bag. Going at it until his knuckles started to hurt before moving onto his legs until he had worked out all his frusteration.

Now finished, the plan was to grab a hot shower and catch up on some reading before heading to bed.

However, if he was completely honest, there was still a nagging feeling in the back of his head. His thoughts form earlier came back to him slowly and he really started to wonder about them.

JD wasn't completely sure when he started thinking about Jodie as more than a friend, but he kept those thoughts and feelings buried pretty well for two very good reasons;

The first being that she was the only friend he had in this world and wouldn't risk damaging it in any way, shape, or form. And the second was any awkwardness that could come from a possible change in their relationship since they lived together at the DPA and were constantly around each other if things didn't turn out so well.

Even though he made peace with the fact that his attraction to her wasn't strange given his unique 'situation', which took a great deal of mental coaching that even though his mind was more experienced he was truely a teenager again, there was always more pressing issues regarding telling Jodie how he was feeling now.

He just didn't know how to go about it. And the emotions flooding through him regarding it was starting to become a bit difficult to handle.

Seeing Jodie hurt at the party, and seeing what the others were doing to her, JD felt as though he would bring the whole house down on them in anger. And if Jodie hadn't been there to keep him calm, he could have done just that.

There was just too much going on in his head, and it didn't make it any better that he was going through the same bout of emotional confusion he did the first time he was in his teens. _"Like sure as hell doesn't get any easier the second time around."_ he thought rounding a corner without paying attention.

Running straight into Cole who had been coming the opposite direction.

"Oof! Oh, hey JD. Long workout?" he asked seeing the state of the teen who bumped into him.

"Yeah, sorry about the run-in, a lot on my mind right now." JD replied scratching the back of his head.

Cole nodded solumnly, "I heard about what happened today, sorry you and Jodie had to go through that. Not everyone out there is horrible."

The psionic shrugged, "Shit happens, but it's Jodie I'm worried about. They were so damn cruel to her...I almost...well, you know." he admitted.

"Well, it's good to see that you were able to keep your cool despite what was going on." the man said, sounding proud at how well the teen kept himself in check. Although he wouldn't have blammed JD in the slightest if he wrecked a few things for what those other kids put Jodie through.

JD nodded, pausing a moment as he thought hard about the 'other issue' that was on his mind at the moment. "Hey, Cole? Mind if I talk to you about something?"

Cole looked at him curiously, seeing the serious expression the psionic was sporting and knew that whatever it was had to be important. "Sure, JD. Come on, we'll talk in my office."

The two made their way in the same direction the researcher was headed, entering the man's office and shutting the door behind them so that they had privacy to talk. "So, what's on your mind little man?" asked Cole taking a seat behind his desk.

Taking the chair infront, JD slumped a bit and stared up at the ceiling. Trying to figure the best way to start the conversation.

"Have you ever had strong feelings for a friend before? Ones that were 'beyond' friendship?" he asked finally, knowing full well that, on some level, Cole would know exactly what and who he was talking about.

Cole blinked for a second, letting the words sink in having not expected such a question. "Hmm," he hummed in thought while scratching his chin, "As a matter of fact, it has happened to me a couple times in the past." his gaze looked pointedly at the psionic before him, "This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with you and Jodie, would it?"

JD sighed and nodded, "Yeah...I don't know when it started exactly, but I just started feeling...closer to her. It was subtle, at first, but overtime it just started getting stronger." he stood and started pacing the office. "I feel happy when I'm around her, Cole. I want to protect her from everything, I was ready to bring that whole house down for her. I don't ever want to see her hurt again, and if she is, I want to hold her until it goes away...I..."

A hand on his shoulder had him looking up at Cole's smiling face, "It sounds to me that you're in love, JD."

The statement alone had stunned the psionic for a moment. He knew that he was attracted to, maybe even crushing on Jodie. But love?

HIs emotions must have been visible because Cole started speaking again, "Don't look so surprised, something like this was bound to happen given that you two have been attached at the hip for the last six years. Nathan and I started to see things changing between the two of you a while ago."

"You did?" asked JD confused.

Cole nodded, "Yeah, but we stayed clear and quiet about it. Best to let the two of you work it out, unless one or both of you came to us...which you did."

The psionic sighed again, "So what do I do, Cole? She's the only friend I have, I don't want to screw that up."

"Well, sorry for sounding cliche, but you have two options," the man said seriously, "You can ignore what you're feeling, and focus on being just her friend. Or you can tell her how you feel. Simple as that. If your friendship with her is as strong as I know it is, it will endure anything that happens between you two."

JD thought over the man's words, weighing the pros and cons of both options. "I...got a lot to think about."

Cole chuckled and patted his shoulder again, "I bet you do. Just remember to go with your gut, JD. Everything usually works out for the best in the end." he checked the time and sighed, "I got work to catch up on."

Nodding, the psionic bid him a goodbye before leaving the office and heading to his room. Sitting back behind his desk, the researcher shook his head and smiled, "If he only knew that Jodie is crushing on him just as bad."

 **X**

Jodie laid on her bed on her stomach with a book open before her. The dress she had worn earlier had been replaced with a white shirt and flower printed jeans, making her feel much better and less self-conscious compared to earlier.

Her right forearm had a white bandage wrapped around it, after getting back to the DPA a nurse had checked out the burn and gave a more indepth treatment. Although the physician had said that JD had done a very good job treating it with what little they had at the time.

Losing interest in her book as her mind drifted to the thoughts she had been having at the party, Jodie sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. JD really had always been there for her when things got bad, like a white-knight she read about in stories when she was younger.

The night when the dark-entities attacked them was still very fresh in her mind, even after all these years. How he fought the creatures off in order to keep them away from her, risking his own well-being so that she was safe. It was one of the many times she saw how truely strong JD was, and how much he cared about her.

As time went on they simply grew closer, and she wouldn't trade any of it for anything.

"..."

Jodie looked up when Aiden had spoken, "Nothing much, Aiden. Just thinking."

"..."

A blush filled her face, "N-No! I...I wasn't thinking about JD!" she denied, but she could already feel the round of teasing that was about to be brought upon her by the entity.

"..."

"W-WHAT?! NO! It's not like that!" she exclaimed, her face growing a shade darker. "He's...He's a friend, _our_ friend...I don't...I don't feel that way about him..." the last part of her statement trailed off, her words sounding far less honest even to her own ears.

"...?"

Jodie sighed sadly, "Even if I did, Aiden, there's no way he would look at me as anymore than that."

The entity looked on, feeling his hosts sadness through their link and wanting to do something to raise her spirits.

Sensing movement by the door, Aiden flew over to the main room and found a white slip of paper laying on the floor. Curious, he reached out and lifted it into the air before bringing it back toward Jodie.

"What is that?" she asked when she saw the paper floating toward her and dropping onto the bed infront of her. On it was handwriting that she knew right away was JD's.

'Come to my room'

Curious, Jodie got up and headed for her door. Aiden trailing behind her, equally curious as to what the psionic wanted to see her about as they went across the hall to their friend's room.

The door was open a crack, an open invitation as Jodie stepped inside and blinked in confusion.

All of the furniture in the living room area had been moved out of the way, leaving most of the large space open. JD stood in the middle, a smile on his face and wearing a nice dress shirt and pants with his hands in the pockets.

"W-What is all this?" Jodie asked, trying to figure out what was up his sleeve.

"I figured, since today was such a horrible day, that I would do something to help make it a little better." replied the psionic as he stepped over to the kitchenette counter where a radio was set up. "And if memory serves, I owe a certain young woman a dance." he added, turning the radio on, soft music starting to play.

('You and Me' - Lifehouse)

Jodie's face turned red, her heart beating hard against her chest as her friend came over and held a hand out for her. "I...um, I don't know..." she stuttered, both embarrised and excited about what was going on.

"Jodie Holmes, can I have this dance?" JD asked, his eyes locked on hers and remained unwavering.

With slight hesitation, she reached her hand out and took his, JD gently pulling her to the middle of the floor and putting his hands on her waist. Her own arms going up and around is neck on reflex as they started swaying back and forth in tune with the music playing.

In seconds, the awkwardness seemed to just fade away, and Jodie found herself relaxing into the situation. It wasn't like the dance she had with Matt at he party. Unlike the tense, guarded feeling she had being around the other boy, instead she felt peaceful, relaxed. It simply felt, right.

She'd always felt safe around JD, even after they first met. Like no matter what the world tried to do to her, he'd be there, standing by her side or shielding her from it all. He was brave, yet kind, he had a good heart but at the same time wasn't afraid to stand up to people when he needed to.

Jodie may not have met a lot of other kids, but something deep in her heart told her that there wasn't anyone else like him. And for that she was thankful.

As the music continued to play, she leaned forward and placed her head on JD's chest, tucked under his chin while they swayed together. The steady beat of his heart reverberating in her left ear and making her smile as she closed her eyes and sighed in content.

For JD, he felt like he was on cloud nine. Holding the girl close, the smell of lilac coming from her soft-brown hair filling his senses, the urge to never let her go became very strong. Jodie was a pure-hearted soul, someone who only wanted to be normal in a world of the supernatural.

But she was also strong, dealing with everything thrown at her and continued to push forward. He admired that about her, that no matter how hard things got she always pressed on.

And now here they were, dancing together and feeling as though everything was right in the world.

Aiden hovering above them, feeling the warm emotions flowing through his link to Jodie and basked in her happiness. He'd known her feelings toward the psionic long before she did, the connection between them growing stronger over time to the point she craved his presense unconsciously. The entity was beyond happy for her, out of all the people in her life, he knew that JD would be the one he would trust Jodie's wellbeing to without question.

It was also good that the two of them had also formed an odd friendship as well. JD having said that if he and Jodie were friends, he'd be happy to be Aiden's as well. And the entity would do everything in his power to ensure that both of them were kept safe.

The song ended a couple minutes later, but neither teen moved away from the other, instead opting to hold on to one another a while longer and enjoy the moment a bit more.

JD was the first to break away, "I got something for you." he said, causing Jodie to look up at him questioningly. The psionic raised his hand and aimed it at a shelf beside the door, a moment later, a familiar book floated over to them encased in blue aura.

"Is that...That's the Poe book!" Jodie said, taking it from the air and holding it in her own hands. It was indeed the same book she had attempted to give to Kirsten at her party.

"She didn't deserve it." JD said with a scowl on his face. "A book that rare, and the significance behind it, and all she did was turn her nose up at it and use it to talk down to you. You deserve such a gift more than she does."

Jodie blushed, clutching the old poetry book tightly at the strength and honesty in his words. "JD...I..." she didn't know what to say, her emotions all over the place and she didn't know how to sort through them.

Seeing her struggle with herself, JD scratched the side of his head and spoke again. "Jodie, there's something I want to tell you. But...it's hard for me considering certain things. I just want you to know how important you are to me, and that I'll do anything and everything in my power to see you happy."

The brunette's eyes widened as he continued, "I...I really like you, Jodie. You've been my best friend for so long, and I can trust you with anything. Which is what gives me the strength to tell you that..." he never got the chance to finish, Jodie having suddenly moved forward. Her lips meeting his immediately.

Everything went still, neither of them moving an inch as they remained rooted where they stood. One waiting for the other to make the next move, but both were in shock. JD for Jodie's suddenly kissing him, and Jodie at her own boldness.

As the seconds stretched on, she started to feel ashamed when nothing else was happening, the sinking feeling in her stomach that she had read the wrong signals and had destroyed everything between them.

That was until JD's arms came up and wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer while his lips started pressing into hers more.

The book in her hands clattered to the floor, arms going up around the psionic's neck, eyes closing and taking in the taste and feel she was now experiencing for the first time.

JD nearly felt his heart explode. It was clear Jodie had never kissed before, but he was more than happy to lead as their lips moved together. She was warm, soft, and tasted like mint, it felt perfect.

Even though it felt like and our, it had only been a few seconds in reality as they separated. Faces red and breath a little labored as they looked at one another as if seeing each other for the first time.

"...I guess actions speak louder than words, huh?" JD said, breaking the tension with an easy smile.

Jodie smiled back, her cheeks nearly a perminent pink, "I guess so...So what happens now?" she asked, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear.

The psionic took her hands in his and squeezed them, "Now, we take things one step at a time and see where it goes. And no matter what happenes, we be there for each other." The brunette nodded, both of them turning their heads when the radio had a small burst of static before 'She will be loved' by Maroon Five started playing.

"Aiden." Jodie said rolling her eyes.

JD chuckled, "Guess he approves." he turned his attention back to her, "Since the mood is still there, how bout another dance?"

Jodie couldn't help but smile again, "I thought you'd never ask."

X

In the monitoring room, Cole looked toward Nathan and held out his hand, "I believe the bet was 20 bucks." he said with a victorious grin on his face.

The older man rolled his eyes and handed the bill over to his friend. "You were right, I can't believe I missed all the signs." he said as he watched his two charges dancing together again, "When did they grow up so fast?"

"Things are gonna be different around here." said Cole, "But they're good for each other. I can't see anyone better for Jodie than JD, and vise-versa."

Nathan removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "This also means that certain rules will have to be put in place for them in the future...wouldn't want to have to set up a crib in one of the rooms later down the road."

The statement made the dark-skinned man beside him turn pale, "Oh hell no!" he exclaimed before leaping from his chair and bursting out of the room.

Laughing at the other man, Nathan turned back to the monitor and smiled at the newly formed couple. Things were certainly turning out for the better for them...he only wished that it would last as long as possible.


	7. 6) Night out

_**Two years after the party incident, things around the DPA had greatly changed for Jodie and I.**_

 _ **Ever since our kiss that day our new relationship had grown. The two of us more inseperable than we had before, and we felt even closer to one another than ever.**_

 _ **A lot of people around the DPA saw the change in our relationship, many of them saying they were happy for us and that we looked great together. Nathan and Cole both were okay with us being together too, although, they made it a point to give us**_ **'the talk'** _ **in excruciating detail.**_

 _ **It didn't take a genius to figure out that they were making sure that we wouldn't do anything foolish and life changing. But personally, I had a feeling Cole was two seconds away from slapping a chastity belt on Jodie.**_

 _ **Overprotective he may be, but he was more like a dad to her than her own had been. And I greatly respected that about him.**_

 _ **As for the two of us, we agreed to keep the rate of our relationship slow. Being as good friends as we were, we didn't want to rush things. Mentally I had more experience with this than Jodie did, so in the end I let her take the wheel and control how things would go for us. All while making sure she was happy with everything.**_

 _ **Of course, given that we essentially lived in a government facility day in and day out, we were constantly monitored or being looked after by various staff members. The idea of any form of privacy between us was nearly non-extistent. But that didn't stop us from trying.**_

 _ **With Aiden's help on more than one occasion, we managed to buy a few minutes to an hour for ourselves. Sometimes we would sit in the outside courtyard of the DPA and enjoy the sunny days, watching movies in one or the other's room late into the evening, and even having small lunch/dinner dates.**_

 _ **We had even managed to slip away and having several make-out sessions in a few empty rooms.**_

 _ **Despite the frustrating restrictions placed on us, we managed to get by and make things work...but over time it started to get too much, especially for Jodie.**_

 _ **She wanted more than what we were forced to endure. She wanted to go out, have fun and socialize. But Nathan would always shoot down the idea every time, constantly bringing up the party incident and claiming that he was doing all of it to protect us.**_

 _ **Hell, even I tried my luck, wanting more than anything to get out of the facility for a while. But the man was equally stubborn about the idea. I was starting to see Jodie's frustration at the whole situation, I would have given anything to give Jodie a real first date. But with Nathan and Cole keeping a tight leash on both of us the chances of that happening had been slim at best...**_

 _ **Until one day we'd had enough, and decided to take matters into our own hands. To hell with the concequences.**_

 _ **Hey, you only live once right?...Or twice in my case.**_

 **X**

Saturday night at the DPA was boring, to say the least. But JD had managed to figure out how to keep himself entertained to avoid going stur-crazy.

Currently, the 17-year old psionic was sitting on his couch in just a pair of jeans with his bare feet up on the coffee table. A PS3 controller in his hands as he binged played Mass Effect, one of his favorite game series' from his first life that he was glad was in his new one.

After spending the day going through his scheduled training with his powers, and his usual physical training on top of that, he showered and decided to kick back and relax. Chosing to wait until Sunday to deal with the small stack of homework waiting for him.

Both he and Jodie had started highschool a couple years ago, and even though he was nearly a year older than her they were in the same grade.

It was odd going through highschool again, but JD knew more than enough to get him through it once again. It was also helpful since it was a whole new experience for Jodie. The two of them stuck together for the most part, not only as friends but as boyfriend/girlfriend as well, which made the transition for her that much easier.

There were ups and downs, most people looked at them weirdly when rumors about them living at the DPA got out, but overtime they died off and they were left alone for the most part.

Both of them had managed to gather a small group of friends. Jodie mostly hung out with a few outcasts from time to time, and JD found common ground with a few of the sports players since he used the weight room during free periods to limber up.

The coaches of the lacross and football teams had been head-hunting him for a while, but he kept turning them down. Mostly because he simply wasn't interested, but it was also because Nathan all but forbid any activities outside of school.

It was annoying, even though he had grown used to his life at the DPA, he still wanted to get out once in a while. He missed the freedom. But it was worse for Jodie, since she got a taste of what life was like outside the facility she wanted to experience more of what was out there...but with their 'guardians' blocking any chances of that it constantly left them in a bad mood.

JD finished another mission in his game and took a drink from the soda he had sitting on the coffee table when his door suddenly opened. He looked up and saw Jodie storm in, slamming the door behind her and huffing out a deep growl of clear frustration.

She had changed her look a little while back, her hair was cut shorter, a fringe that was dyed blue that shadowed down over her eyes. She also started dressing in darker clothing, today she went with a dark-purple plaid skirt with fishnet stockings up her legs and a red/black blouse with rose designs on one side. A of grey socks were pulled up nearly to her knees from a black converse shoes and a pair of fingerless gloves on her small hands.

If the psionic was honest, his better half looked damn good.

"Rough night?" he asked rhytorically, pausing his game in preparation for the rant that was about to be unleashed.

"Nathan's being a complete ass!" Jodie exclaimed, stomping over to the couch and sitting down hard beside him with her arms crossed. "Everyone I know is going out tonight, and, of course, I'm 'forbidden' to go!"

Tossing his controller on the coffee table, JD reached a hand back over the couch. His powers flared as the fridge door opened and another can of soda came floating out and into his awaiting palm.

He handed the drink to her and received a smile of thanks in return as she laid her head on his bare shoulder. "I just...I hate this! We do everything asked of us, we don't get into trouble, and it's never enough. Why can't we have normal lives?"

"You're preaching to the converted on that one." JD said, putting an arm around her shoulders and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "We should have a chance at having some fun every now and again...it sucks."

Jodie snorted, "Yeah. He brought up that damn party again, saying that he didn't want either of us to be put in that situation again. It's like he has no faith in us and I'm sick of it!"

She wasn't the only one. The psionic was finding it increasingly difficult to deal with having to be locked up at the DPA day in and day out, the only freedom being from going to school and nothing else.

The two of them couldn't even go on a proper date. Restricted to meals on site and evenings in one or the others room for movies, granted, they did manage to give their guardian's the slip for some alone time in one of the empty rooms at the DPA.

They hadn't gone beyond kissing and a bit of petting, considering they were almost always being watched, but the desire to do so had been boiling for both of them for a while now.

"I hate to agree with him, but Nathan's right you know." JD said making Jodie look up at him. "We're not like anyone else. I can move things with my brain, and you're bound to an otherworldly spirit, normality went way out the window for the both of us a long time ago."

He leaned forward and finished his drink before leaning back and allowing Jodie to cuddle into his side better, "Then again, who wants to be normal these days? I sure as hell don't mind being abnormal, life's never dull, that's for sure."

"...Yeah." Jodie muttered lowly, rolling her own soda between her hands solumnly. "I used to hate being bound to Aiden, I still kind of due with how difficult my life is. But I can't really see life without him by my side...or you."

JD smiled down at her, "Right back at you, babe." he leaned down and took her lips with his own, the brunette wasting no time in kissing him back. Leaning forward as the psionic brought them both down on the couch so that she was laying ontop of him.

Jodie moaned softly in the back of her throught, her mouth opening to invite JD's tongue in to play with hers as their kiss deepened. Her soft hands running down over the muscles of his shoulders and chest, while his stronger ones came up and held her around her waist.

The two rolled to the side, JD now on top as he trailed his lips down her jaw to her neck. Gently nipping at her soft, pale skin, "...JD...uhnnn..." she sighed in pleasure, her nails dragging lightly down his arm when she felt her stomach start to twist in that good way only he could make happen.

Smiling into her neck, the psionic went a little farther down and sucked on her collarbone. Jodie tensed and breathed a deep moan as he left a small mark in his wake. Their lips met again, with more of a fenzy than before, Jodie's hands running over JD's buzzed head while his went up her shirt, feeling the warmth of her sides and stomach as they really started to get into it.

'Don't make me turn the hose on you two.'

The sudden sound of Cole's voice broke the couple apart quickly, both out of breath and panting while they quickly arranged themselfs on the couch.

Jodie's face burned red, from embarresment and anger as she stood up and stormed to the corner of the room where a camera was set up close to the ceiling. "Fucking dammit Cole! Seriously?!" she screamed at the device, "It's bad enough you and Nathan keep us locked up here, but now you won't let us have even a shred of privacy!"

'Jodie, we're just-'

"NO! Don't even!" she shouted, cutting the man off. Clenching her fists, she screamed before storming into JD's bedroom, the psionic watched her go before glaring at the camera.

Getting up from the couch, he used his TK to pick up a dirty t-shirt and throw it up over the lense, doing the same to the other cameras around his apartment on his way to the bedroom as well.

'JD,' Cole started.

The psionic switched his radio on, the music just loud enough to block out the man's voice. He found Jodie laying on his bed, her shoulders shaking and the sounds of soft crying coming from her curled up form.

Not saying a word, he laid down beside her, his arms going around her middle and holding her close. Her cries lessening with his presense as she pressed herself into his chest, her own arms laying over his in comfort.

They stayed like that for a long while, just holding one another and listening to the music playing through the room.

"I need to get out of here." Jodie said quietly, "Just for the night, just once."

JD nodded into her hair, "I know, if there was anything I could do I'd do it in a heartbeat."

The young woman rolled over so that she was facing him, a hesitant look in her eyes while she chewed on her lip. Right away JD knew something was up, Jodie only ever did this when she was either nervous or scared about something.

"I...I know you would." she said looking away briefly, "So...please don't be mad..."

The sound of the door to his apartment opening had JD getting to his feet, finding Cole standing in the threshold nearly motionless and staring blankly forward.

"Cole?" he asked, approaching the researcher and waving a hand infront of his face. Getting no reaction, he looked closer at the man's eyes and found them completely white instead of their usual dark-brown. The answer hit him almost instantly, he'd seen it enough times in the past to know the signs. "Oh god, Jodie." he groaned while rubbing his eyes.

"He's perfectly fine!" Jodie said approaching them, "Aiden's just...controlling him at the moment. It's the only chance to get out of here."

JD turned to her with both eyebrows raised, "You have any idea how screwed you're gonna be when he snaps out of it? Or if Nathan finds out?"

Jodie threw her arms in the air, "I don't care! I can't take it anymore, JD!" she exclaimed and started pacing the room, "I hate being trapped here everyday, and I know you do too. Just this once, just _once_ , I want us to go out and have fun, to be a normal couple like everyone else...Please, JD."

As much as he wanted to argue about how potentially dangerous the whole thing could be, the look on her face made any rebuttle die on his tongue before it could even be said.

If he were completely honest, the idea of getting out of the DPA for the evening sounded very appealing. But were the repercussions of doing this worth it?

Another glance at the pleading look on the young woman's face was all it took to make his hesitation crumble. _"Fuck I'm whipped."_ JD thought with a deep sigh, _"Well...you only live once, right? Or twice in my case..."_

"Alright. But if we're going to do this right than you need to follow my lead."

Jodie smiled brightly, "Really?! Oh my god, JD thank you!" she exclaimed, jumping into his arms and kissing him deeply.

When they separated, the psionic pulled on a black t-shirt with a red 'Punisher' skull imprinted on the front and his shoes before leading the other two out of his place and into the hallway.

There were cameras everywhere, but most of the security was off this time of night. Their only chance to get out of the facility was to make it look as though they were going on an evening stroll. "Aiden? Can you speak using Cole's body?" JD asked as they headed toward the security door that would take them to the lobby.

"Uhhhhh..." a zombie like groan was his response, which made the psionic curse under his breath.

"Guess we're going to have to improvise." JD muttered, removing Cole's ID badge and using it to unlock the door. Pushing it open just enough to peer out into the lobby to find it empty.

Jodie came up beside him and looked as well, "So, what is the plan?" she whispered. Wondering how he was going to get them out of there.

"Like I said, just follow my lead." the psionic replied as they slipped out and made their way up the small flight of stairs toward the entrance of the building. They had managed to get close to the metal detector when someone spoke out.

"Well hello Cole, Jodie, JD..." the guard running the front desk said, standing up to greet them. "Little late for a day trip, isn't it?"

Jodie froze, Aiden(Cole) going completely motionless, but JD just smiled back at the guard. "Hey Carter, yeah it is kinda late, but Jodie here wasn't feeling too well and I decided to take her outside for a little fresh air."

The guard, Carter, looked concerned. "Really? You're not feeling too well, Jodie? Should I call the infirmary?"

"No!" Jodie exclaimed, then calmed herself quickly, "No, there's no need. Like JD said, I just need a little fresh air. And Cole's with us...so there's no problem."

"What's up, Cole? Cat got your tongue?" asked Carter looking at the silent man with the teens. 'Cole' said nothing, still as a statue.

JD checked his watch, "Sorry, Carter. Cole here can't speak for another...32 minutes." he said grinning. "That's what he gets for betting against the Broncos, he's lucky we didn't have money on the table."

The guard chuckled, "Good thing for him then. Well, you best be on your way. Get well soon, Jodie." he said before returning to his seat. The teens looked to one another, the psionic sending Jodie a knowing smirk before putting an arm around her shoulders and leading her out the door. 'Cole' right behind them.

 **X**

Some time later, the two teens pulled up outside a small dive-bar in Cole's car. The red-neon lights on the outside reading, 'Red House'.

"I still can't believe that you can drive." said Jodie in surprise from the passenger seat, "How did you even manage to learn?"

"You'd be surprised what one picks up when they're bored out of their mind." JD replied as she shifted the gear into park and turned off the engine. Looking at the place they had stopped at with narrow eyes. "This is supposed to be where everyone's meeting?" he asked sounding skeptical.

Jodie nodded, "Yeah, the Red House bar, this it the place." she said before getting out of the car, the psionic right behind her. Taking a moment to check on Cole who was knocked out in the back seat.

A side-effect of being possessed by Aiden for a long period of time was mental exhaustion. Cole was fine, but he'd be out cold for a while. which worked out well, considering Jodie originally wanted to have Aiden lead him out into the woods.

Locking the doors of the sedan, JD pocketed the keys and headed to the front door of the bar where Jodie was waiting for him. Both of them heading inside, greeted with the smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke with country music playing from a nearby jukebox and a game on the tv above the bar.

Save for the bartender, there were four other grown men. Two sitting at the counter drinking and talking amongst themselves, and two others playing a game of pool. Other than that the place was empty.

Almost immediately, red flags started going off in JD's head. Why would a bunch of high school kids agree to meet up in a dive this far from the base? It didn't make sense, which had him starting to wonder if they were being led on a wild goose chase.

"They're not here yet," Jodie said, looking around the bar. "We should wait a little bit." They headed toward the back of the bar and sat in a booth in the corner. The whole time JD kept all his senses open and sharp eyes on the other patrons in the bar, having not missed the not so subtle glances the men at the counter had sent toward Jodie when they walked in the door.

"Jodie, I'm getting bad vibes here." he said turning his attention to her. "Are you sure the others said they were meeting here?"

The young woman glanced at the clock on the wall nearest them, "They're just running a little late, they'll be here."

JD wasn't so sure, even Jodie was starting to sound a bit unsure of herself at this point. But before he could voice this the bartender took that moment to appear at their table.

"How old are you kids?" he asked looking between them with his arms crossed over his chest.

"We're both 21." the psionic lied calmly, matching the man's look until he nodded and asked what he could get for them. Jodie asked for lemonade while JD just wanted water. When the bartender headed back to the front for their drinks the two men who had been playing pool left leaving the place even emptier than before.

A minute later the bartender returned with their drinks, "Um, excuse me?" Jodie said catching the man's attention, "We're waiting for some of our friends, did anyone else come in here before us?"

"Nah, just the boys that just left and the ones at the bar other than the two of you." replied the bartender, "Place has been nearly empty for hours."

The news crushed Jodie's spirits, "O-Oh...thanks." the man nodded and headed back to the bar leaving the couple alone.

"Jodie..."JD said, reaching across the table and holding her hand.

"I can't believe I got played...shit, I'm so stupid." she muttered, angry at herself for being fooled like that. And by people she thought she could call friends at that.

A gentle grip on her hand had her looking up at JD, "None of that. We came out here to have a good time, just because other people are assholes doesn't mean we still can't." he looked toward the vacant pool table in the middle of the bar, "How bout I teach you how to play pool?"

Drinking the last of her lemonade, Jodie just nodded. Still upset about how the evening was going, but happy that she still had JD there with her. So the night wouldn't be a complete loss at least.

The couple got up and went to the pool table, setting up the billiards before taking up positions. "Want to break?" JD asked while chalking his que.

"Break?" asked Jodie confused.

He motioned to the table, "The term break means you start the game by separating the balls on the first shot. I'm asking if you wanna go first, babe." he explained.

Blush dusting her cheeks, Jodie gave a nervous smile as she leaned over the table, lining up her shot and striking the que ball. The billiards broke apart, bouncing along the walls, but none of them sinking.

"Don't get discouraged." the psionic said seeing her downtrodden expression. "It's pretty hard to sink one on the first shot. The main ideal is that you get the others set up for later." bringing his que up, he lined his own shot and struck. Two solid-color balls sank in the same pocket in he corner.

Taking his next shot, he knocked a couple balls around but didn't score, Jodie coming up to take her next turn. Que steadied on her thumb as she took aim. She shot, but the lined-ball she'd been going for rebounded around the pocket she'd been going for.

"Dammit." she muttered, slamming the handle end of her que on the floor in frusteration.

"Try to relax, you're trying too hard." JD said coming up to her side, "Here, take another shot and I'll show you."

Jodie breathed deeply, leaning over the table to line up her next shot...her face heating up when she felt the psionic lean over her, hands laying over hers to help steady her aim.

"Think physics and geomaetry," he whispered into her ear, his chest flush against her back with his head beside hers, "Line up your shot, calculate how to hit it and where it'll go once it is, then it's all a matter of how much force you use to make it all happen."

Mouth dry, Jodie could only nod. Her heart beating hard against her chest and the familiar twisting in her stomach returned with him being so close. A large part of her wanting the arms helping her play to just wrap around her and hold her closer instead.

"Jodie? You good?" JD asked, the sound of his voice snapping her out of the light haze she had fallen into.

"Y-Yeah..." she stuttered, trying to focus back on the task at hand and barely managing. The shot lined up, the que struck the white ball sending it clacking into the orange-stripped one it had been aiming at. The billiard bounced off the far wall and sank into the side pocket across the table.

"Nice shot." the psionic said grinning, kissing her cheek as he stood back upright.

Jodie beamed up at him, "A cheek kiss for sinking one ball? What'll you give me if I sink another?" she asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

JD leaned down to the point where their noses were touching, "Pull it off, and find out." he said lowly, making her shiver in response at the implications.

"Why don't you ditch the boy and play with a real man, darlin." the couple broke away from one another and saw the two men from the bar approaching them. The bigger of the two doing nothing to hide the lercherous look he was sending toward Jodie as he looked her up and down.

The psionic took a step forward, putting himself between the men and Jodie, "We got our own game going right now, so if you don't mind?" he said, his tone calm but the intent very clear for them to back off.

But neither of the men took the hint as they drew in closer, "Wasn't talking to you kid." the bigger one said, leering at Jodie still. "How bout it, darlin? You up for some real fun?"

"No thanks. My _boyfriend_ and I are having a good time on our own, thanks." Jodie replied, her voice strong, but on the inside she was afraid of where things might be going."

"Hear that, Earl?" the other man said snorting, "This little punk here's her boyfriend."

"Oh, I heard." replied 'Earl', "Obviously she's never been with a real man and had to settle for some gutter-trash."

JD's fists clenched, taking a few breaths to calm down so that he didn't lose his temper. The last thing he needed was for an 'accident' to happen to the two idiots. "Well, if you happen to find one be sure to have him come by." he said, casually leaning over the pool table and lining up his next shot, "Until then, the two of us are just going to-"

A large hand slammed down on the que-ball. "Apparently you don't get it." Earl growled intimidatingly, "We want you gone, _boy_. That cute little friend of yours can stay though, we'll make sure she has a _good time_."

The tone in his voice would make anyone's skin crawl, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what the bastard meant by 'good time'. JD slowly rose to his full height, tossing the que onto the table and fixing the large man with a piercing stare.

"No. I think it's time for you and you're friend to leave...before something bad happens to you." he said sharply.

The men laughed, "Oh yeah? What's a little shit like you gonna do?" Earl said shoving the psionic's shoulder-

It happened in a blur; JD lashed out, grabbing the man's arm and twisting it back. He then took a fist-full of his hair, kicked his leg out from under him and slammed his face into the pool table with a sharp 'crack'.

Earl was thrown to the floor, shouting into the cupped hands covering his face as blood gushed from his shattered nose.

"HEY!" the man's friend shouted, moving to help when a pool que broke across the back of his head. Jodie followed up by slamming her heel into the back of his knee, bringing him down enough for her to drive her knee into his chest and knock him down.

Getting to his feet, the guy gritted his teeth and lunged for her, "You little bitch!"

Jodie brought her arms up, ducking under the attack and slammed her hand, thumb extended, right into his throat. The reaction instantanious as he dropped to the floor clutching his neck, coughing and wheezing as he tried to get air into his sore airway.

The defense lessons Jodie had been having with JD all this time was paying off big time. And she was genuinely surprised at how quickly she had taken down the older man.

JD glared down at Earl, pressing his foot down on the side of the man's face and keeping him pinned to the floor. "Still feeling lucky? Or do you want to go double or nothing?" he asked casually as though speaking about the weather.

"F-Fuck you!" Earl bellowed, grunting when the psionic pressed his heel down harder on his head.

"Sorry. Can't hear you. Try words with more than one syllible." JD said, letting off the pressure only slightly.

"JD, let him go." Jodie said coming up beside him, "I think it's time we got going anyway."

The psionic shrugged and removed his foot from Earl's face, wrapping an arm around her waist. "It is getting late, isn't it?" he said as they started to head toward the door.

Earl sat up, blood dripping down his face as he glared with hate at the retreating couple. Blinded by anger, humiliation and alcohol, he grabbed a nearby chair and charged at them with a bellow of rage.

Hearing the movement and was already preparing for it, JD spun around, his powers flaring as he launched a psi-blast straight into his chest. The impact of the attack sending the man flying across the bar and through a table on the other side.

Lowering his arm, the psionic rolled his shoulders before turning to Jodie, "I don't know about you, but I feel like grabbing a bite before heading home. How bout it?"

"Sure." Jodie replied, slipping her hand into his as they walked out of the bar together. Leaving two broken drunks and a freaked out bartender in their wake.

 **X**

There had been a diner about a block away from the bar. After the couple got something to eat, Aiden possessed Cole again and they got back to the DPA with little to no trouble.

Getting into the facility, thankful that Carter had been absent as they went to where their rooms were located. Making sure that Cole's body was brought into the monitoring room and laid out on the couch that was set up before Aiden left him to sleep off the possession.

"All in all, I say this evening wasn't a complete disaster." JD said as they closed the door to the monitoring room behind them.

"I still can't believe the others lied to me." Jodie said, crossing her arms in anger at being mislead this whole time. She then looked up at the psionic through her eyelashes and her blue-colored fringe, a smile slowly spreading, "But...you're right. It wasn't all bad, as far as dates are supposed to go anyway."

JD scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, sorry about that. If I could have avoided the bar fight I would have, but there was no way in hell that asshole was getting anywhere near you. Though, you did a pretty good job dealing with his friend." he said grinning at the end.

"I have a good teacher." she replied, standing on the tips of her toes and kissing him softly. "Thanks for tonight. We'll catch hell for it tomorrow, but it was worth it."

"That we will." JD said, leaning down and kissing her again, lingering just a bit longer than the last. "It's getting late..."

Jodie nodded, her arms coming up and going around his neck as their lips met again. Moving in sync with one another, JD's hands went down to her firm thighs, picking her up as though she weighed nothing and pressing her back into the wall behind her. Her legs locking around his lower back while moans reverberating between them as the kiss deepened.

They separated, gasping for air and clinging to one another while looking into each other's eyes. Something unspoken passing between them for a brief moment before they were kissing heavily again.

"R-Room..." Jodie gasped when JD's lips started sucking on a sensitive part of her neck.

Without answering, and keeping his hold on her, the psionic moved from the wall and carried her to the door of the closest room, which had been hers. Fumbling a moment, he got it open and brought them both inside, kicking the door closed behind them.

The couple stumbled through the apartment, but managed to stay upright as they made their way to the bedroom.

 _"Aiden...Cameras."_ Jodie managed to send out mentally through the haze of pleasure assaulting her senses. The entity flew about, shorting out all of the audio and visual devices around his hosts home and giving them much needed privacy.

JD could hear the static of the camera's being disabled, pulling himself away from Jodie's neck, he used TK to move her couch infront of her door. Effectively blocking off any and all entry, just incase before soft hands turned his head back around allowing their lips to clash again.

Reaching the bedroom, the psionic laid Jodie in the middle of her bed, his larger form laying carefully over her. Their shoes were kicked off while their hands started wandering, Jodie's going up JD's shirt and over the defined muscles underneath, while JD's found themselves on her bare thighs, sliding forward and hiking her skirt up.

Jodie pulled away, gasping when the psionic's hands went further up her legs and drawing closer to her aching core. "Oh, god...don't stop..." she mewled, grabbing onto his shirt and pulling upward.

Leaning back enough for the article to come off, JD leaned back down and started undoing the buttons on her blouse. Having it join his shirt on the floor leaving him naked from the waist up and her in a black cotton bra.

He paused, taking a moment to take in how she looked, how her pale skin seemed to glow in the low light of the room. She was so small compared to him, barely 5'2'' to his 6'1'', her breasts were a solid B-cup but looked larger with how the bra she wore pushed them up.

She was gorgeous...scratch that...she was _flawless_ in his eyes.

"W-What?" Jodie asked, blush coloring her cheeks and covering herself feeling self-conscious.

JD reached up and cupped her face, brushing his thumb along her cheek. "You're beautiful." he whispered, a smile spreading on his face as her face darkened more, "I love you, Jodie."

His words had tears forming in her eyes, her heart feeling like it was about to explode from all of the emotions running through her. "I...I love you too, John." she said, using his real name which made it all the more meaningful.

They kissed again, this time more gentle but just as passionet. "You sure about this?" JD asked when they pulled apart. Wanting to be sure before they went any further.

Jodie nodded, biting her lip. "I want this. I want you." The small admission was all the psionic needed as they picked up where they had left off. The rest of their clothes coming off and tossed to the floor while they explored one another.

The rest of the night was filled with pleasured moans and sighs as the duo became one. The worries about the next day far from them as they just enjoyed the moment, and each other, to the fullest.


	8. 7) Stronger Together Pt1

Sunlight peeked through the windows, morning had come, but to the young couple laying in bed they couldn't have cared any less.

JD was a wake, having been so for an hour now, running his fingers up and down Jodie's bare back while she was curled up on his chest. Not being able to take his eyes off her peaceful, nearly angelic face as she slept.

Last night had been amazing, the way they made each other feel was out of this world and it was something neither of them would forget. The psionic certainly wouldn't, it wasn't every day that someone was able to lose their virginity a second time, and he made sure that Jodie enjoyed every moment of losing hers as well.

Bringing his other hand up, he brushed a piece of blue-dyed hair out of her face and smiled. She was truely something else, everything he had ever wanted in a girlfriend and much more, not even in his previous life had he come close to finding anyone like her. And now he never would, because he wasn't intending on letting her go for anything in existence.

Jodie yawned, her eyes blinking open as she looked up a JD from his chest, a smile spreading on her face. "Hey." she whispered lovingly.

"Morning, beautiful." the psionic said back, completely content with just drinking her in with his gaze. "How are you feeling?"

"My legs still feel like jello," she replied, shifting her legs under the sheet covering their lower halves. A slight wince marring her features for a brief moment, "And my insides still feel tender...but it was worth it. Last night was just...wow."

JD smiled wider, pulling her upward so that he could kiss her. His arousal spiking a bit when her breasts pressed into his chest. "So no regrets?" he asked rhetorically.

"Absolutely none." Jodie replied, matching his smile before nuzzling her head under his chin and sighing in content. "Can we stay like this all day? Just us?" she asked after a few moments.

"You won't hear any complaints from me." said JD, time slipping by as they simply cuddled together in silence. Lost in their own private bubble of happiness, everything was perfect...

A loud knocking at the door had the couple sitting up fast, "JODIE! JD! OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!" Nathan's voice bellowed from the other side.

"Shit!" Jodie cursed as she got out of bed, forgetting about her nakedness as she scrambled about picking up her clothes from the night before.

"He sounds pissed." JD said casually while pulling up his boxers and pants, taking a moment to look over his shoulder to admire his lover's bent over form as she wiggled back into her skirt while trying to clip her bra on at the same time.

She looked his after picking up her blouse and caught him watching her, "...what?" she asked, still frantic with Nathan still pounding on the door.

"Just enjoying the view," the psionic said huskily, making her blush as he swooped down and kissed her soundly. Jodie moaned in the back of her throat at the contact, momentarily forgetting about what was going on around them.

When they stepped back they finished dressing and approached the door, holding hands before looking to one another. "Ready to face the music?" JD asked.

Jodie leaned up and kissed him one last time before nodding. JD used his TK to move the couch from the door, allowing it to open to reveal an irate Nathan and Cole on the other side.

"Nathan, Cole, good morning." the psionic said with a slight grin.

Nathan approached them, fixing the couple with a piercing glare that reflected his anger and disappointment. "You both are in so much trouble, I don't even know where to begin!" he exclaimed. "What do you have to say for yourselves?!"

Their hands gripped on one another a bit tighter. Even with their impending punishment for their night out, they stood together like they always had...and like they always would.

 **X**

 _ **Needless to say...we were grounded.**_

 _ **Couldn't go anywhere outside our rooms without someone being with us other than school. I was banished from the training room for a week and lost my tv for about a month. Jodie lost her's as well, and her guitar on top of that.**_

 _ **But the worst was that we couldn't see each other for a few weeks. Though that didn't stop me from visiting her via astral-projection, or her from having Aiden send messages back and forth. We made it work, and when we were allowed to see each other again we kissed for a solid hour despite people watching us.**_

 _ **We didn't care. We were in love and nothing would change that. And despite how much trouble we got in it had all been worth it.**_

 _ **Nathan's trust in us was damaged, but repairing overtime. And Cole forgave us for using him like we did, though he gave us the silent treatment for a week to let us know how pissed he was.**_

 _ **In addition to that, the man told us that our chances of having sex again were just about non-existent. It sucked, given that we had reached that part of our relationship and it was held out of our reach, but we managed regardless.**_

 _ **Months slipped by after that. I turned 18 and Jodie just celebrated her 17th birthday, things falling back into what could be considered normal routine at the DPA.**_

 _ **Jodie had come to me shortly after a portion of our punishment was lifted and asked for more defense lessons. Her exact words being, 'If I can take a drunk down with my thumb, what else can you teach me?'.**_

 _ **I had no problems with it, especially since I had the chance to see my girlfriend in tight tank tops and yoga pants. Of course, I could also tell she liked seeing me shirtless...gotta love having hormones raging again...**_

 _ **Everything was going good again...until one day something happened that no one was expecting. And it was then that Jodie and I came to realize what we were truely capable of when push came to shove.**_

 **X**

Jodie landed on the floor mat, rolling with the impact so that she was back on her feet, knees bent with her hands up in a defensive stance.

Her shoulder-length brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, outfit consisting of a tight fitted blue shirt and bike shorts to allow for better movement. Her eyes locked on her opponent with intense focus.

"That was a good one, Jodie." JD said taking his own stance a couple meters away. The psionic wearing his usual workout attire of black shorts and a wife beater. "You just need more force to get through my guard."

Nodding, Jodie came at him again. JD saw her feign right and immediately blocked left where she was hoping to strike. She quickly dropped low and swung her elbow back, her arm striking open palm instead that latched on and twisted left.

Gritting her teeth, the brunette twisted the opposite way, getting out of the hold and applying on of her own. She couldn't keep it very long, so instead she used it to keep her opponent off balance, bringing him down and striking with her right palm toward his head.

JD saw it coming and leaned away, putting one of his legs behind hers and hip tossing her away...

But unlike the opponents he had fought in the past, Jodie was smaller and more nimble making it harder to get her in an effective grapple. She was also able slip around his guard quickly, landing a few hits here and there before he could get his defenses back up again.

She was a very quick study, and when she was motivated enough she could end up being a force to be reckoned with once she fully honed her skills.

Jodie was on her feet fast, dropping to a crouch and kicking back at JD's knees, the psionic jumped back to avoid the hit and went on the offensive. His lover ducked and blocked, getting in close and hitting him in the chin with an open palm, the stirke staggering him just a moment...which is all she needed to deliver a couple more quick hits to his midsection.

Smirking through it all, JD grabbed her hands, spinning her around and twisting her arms behind her back.

"Got a plan to get out of this one?" he asked in her ear.

He failed to see the smirk on her face, "What? you mean-" she sudden dropped, forcing JD to bend over given his grip on her arms and leaving him open when both her feet came up and struck him in the face.

Stumbling back, disoriented from the sudden hit, the psionic brought his arms up in time to stop Jodie's elbow from slamming into his nose. Keeping a tight hold on her arm, he fell back, taking her with him and flinging her across the mat.

She rolled with the momentum, preparing to get back up again, but JD was on her before she had a chance. Pinning her to floor, forearm across her neck, one knee keeping an arm pinned and the other holding her lower-half down while his free hand kept her wrist pinned as well.

Both of them were breathing heavily, sweat dipping down from their foreheads and their eyes locked.

JD grinned down at Jodie after several moments, "You're getting better, babe. Really wasn't expecting that sneak attack.

Jodie grinned back, "Maybe you should stop trying to go easy on me, I just might use that to my advantage." she said cheekily.

The couple laughed as they got up, "Have I told you how sexy you look while you fight, Ms. Holmes?" the psionic asked pulling her close, arms wrapped firmly around her slim waist.

The brunette hummed in thought, tilting her head to the side before answering, "Not yet today. Can you remind me?" JD leaned down and kissed her in response, Jodie's arms coming up and around his neck on instinct, pressing closer to one another despite being a little sore and sweaty from their training session.

A throat being cleared broke them apart, turning to find Nathan standing in the doorway of the gym. "Nathan, didn't expect to see you here this late." said JD. The man didn't reply and started making his way toward them, the closer he got, the quicker he realized that something wasn't right.

Nathan looked anxious, something he very rarely expressed unless something was wrong. Which didn't bode well for whatever he wanted to tell them.

"I need you both to come with me." he said, his tone matching his expression.

"What's going on?" asked Jodie, picking up he same vibe JD had.

"I don't have the time to explain," was her answer, "I just need you both to get dressed and we need to get going, right now. I'll explain on the way."

Looking to one another briefly, the couple followed the man to their rooms, changing quickly out of their workout clothes before being taken out to the parking lot and jumping into his car.

Nathan drove them away from the DPA and down a long stretch of road, silent the whole time up to this point.

"The DPA has launched a program to study the other side, the 'Infraworld' as they call it." he started explaining to them. "They've created a condenser, a machine to open a rift to what lies beyond."

"They've open a passage...to the other side?" Jodie asked in shock. "To Aiden's world?"

Nathan nodded, "Something happened, last night. Entities got through the rift, and we couldn't shut down the condenser...Everybody in the building was slaughtered. None of the rescue teams came back. They called and ask for both your help, I told them you were just kids, that it was too dangerous."

"Something tells me they weren't convinced enough." said JD, knowing exactly where this all was heading.

"They know that you two are the only ones that know how to deal with what lies beyond the rift." Nathan said to him, "With Jodie's connection to Aiden, and your psionic powers, your the only chance anyone has at shutting it all down before it's too late."

They pulled up outside a large building surrounded my emergency crews, DPA security and even a couple military details. A couple ambulances pulled away with their sirens blaring that pierced the rainy night.

Nathan turned to the couple with a look of hesitation and a little fear on his aging face. "Jodie, JD, if neither of you want to do this just say so." his voice sounded tired, anxious and worried. "I'll take you both back. I will not force either of you to do this."

Jodie looked out the window, seeing all the people scrambling about trying to do what they could for the crisis that was happening within the building. Turning her attention to JD, she found the psionic doing the same as she had before looking back at her.

He could see that she had already made up her mind on the matter, and he nodded to her while grasping her hand with his own. A silent vow that he was with her, not matter what.

"It's all right." Jodie answered Nathan, "We'll do it."

The man looked like he wanted to protest, to argue, maybe even pull away in the car and take them home to avoid all of this. But he managed to nod to them before getting out, the teens following him into the rain.

"CHRIST, Nathan! This is crazy!" Cole's angry voice shouted over the sound of the storm and all the other noise around them. "You can't send them in there! What are you thinking?!"

"You don't understand. They're the only ones that can stop this!" Nathan snapped back.

Cole shook his head and turned to see the couple heading toward them, "Guys, you don't have to do this! We can find another way!"

"Cole," JD said shaking his head, "We made our decision. Nathan's right, we're the only ones that can handle what's going on in there. We've been training with our abilities all this time...it's about time we put them to some real good."

The psionic looked around, dozens of people laid out on the ground with various forms of injury being treated, several of which were completely covered in white sheets. This all needed to stop, before it was too late.

"They can do this, Cole." Nathan said calmly, "There aren't any other options."

Cole glared at the man he considered a friend, "If anything happens to them, Nathan..." he let the threat hang in the air before looking back at the teens. "You two...just be careful, okay. Come back in one piece."

"We will, Cole." said Jodie as the researcher walked away to help where ever he could.

"The condenser is in the lower basement." Nathan started explaining to them. "You need to find the control room. That's all they could tell me..."

"What about the entities that got out?" asked JD.

"They're...They aren't like Aiden." he replied. "They're from the depths of the other side. We know almost nothing about them...but from what we've seen...they could be similar to the ones that attacked you when you were both younger."

"I've been living with an entity that I know nothingabout since the day I was born, Nathan." said Jodie. "Don't worry, neither of us plan on dying today."

"Hell yeah." the psionic added.

Nathan looked between them, putting a hand on each of their shoulders a moment before heading off to talk to one of the people from the building. The couple starting to make their way to the front of the building, several people around them took notice of their arrival and spoke out about it over all the other chatter.

"Is...Is that them?"

"What are they doing here?"

"Are the higher ups sending them in? Poor kids..."

"I've heard about them, better be careful."

All of the words were nothing more than background noise as the duo stood before the shattered front doors of the building. "You ready?" JD asked, rolling his neck and preparing for what they would face inside.

"Yeah." Jodie answered back, looking a little unsure given all of the injured people they had seen.

The psionic looked down at her and held her hand, "Hey, I'm going to be right here beside you every step of the way. Okay?"

Taking a slow breath, she nodded before they started making their way inside. The many sounds outside drowning away as they went down the long corridor beyond, the lobby they had passed through looking as though a tornado had torn through it.

Shoes crunching over bits of broken glass that littered the floor, the lights above sparked and flickered above, casting the room in shadows at various intervals. Turning the corner ahead, they found large blood splatters on the floors and walls, along with drag marks from where EMTs had taken out the wounded and dead.

"JD?" Jodie asked, her voice shaking a bit.

The psionic gripped her hand a bit tighter in reassurance, moving them around a human shaped blood stain infront of them as they neared a large blast door with two red emergency lights flashing on either side. A lift that would take them to the lower levels of the facility.

Pressing the switch on the panel, a metallic clang echoed over the alarms and nothing else happened. "Shit. Elevator's jammed." JD cursed, peering through the small window in the door and trying to located the lift.

"Aiden, see what you can do." Jodie said, the entity leaving their side and going through the thick doors and down the shaft. A moment later a loud hum reverberated through the walls as the lift came up and stopped at their floor.

JD held out his hand and used is TK to slide the large door open so that they could step on, "Good work, Aiden." he said as they climbed down into the platform.

Jodie screamed and stumbled back, forcing the psionic to catch her. Looking ahead, a body was laying in the corner across from them, male, his clothes cut open in various places with blood seeping out and forming a puddle beneath him.

When the initial shock of finding the body wore off, they approached the man and checked him over. JD put his finger's to the his neck, not finding a pulse, he shook his head at Jodie who was also crouched beside him.

The brunette looked at the dead man and put a hand on his head, closing her eyes, she focused on her bond with Aiden. The two of them channeling into the body before them until a connection was made.

Jodie's head snapped back, eyes open and rolled back into her head as the world around her turned black and white;

 _Looking around, she saw the same man slamming his hand on the panel of the elevator, looking terrified._ _"Come on...Come ONNNNN!" A loud screech pierced the air from where he had come from, he barely had a chance to scream before a large metal crate crashed into him, the impact sending him slamming into the wall were he now laid unmoving._

Gasping when the vision ended, Jodie fell back on her ass and took a few calming breaths. "You okay?" JD asked, helping her to her feet.

"Y-Yeah..." she said, shaking her head to rid the after effects of seeing the man's last moments. "JD, whatever's going on here is a lot worse than we think."

The psionic looked down at the body again and couldn't help but agree. They went back over to the panel and pressed the switch for the lowest level. The door to the lift closed and started to descend, bringing the duo further and further down underground, coming to a stop where the condenser was said to be.

Stepping off the elevator, the couple found more blood and signs of fighting. The emergency lights the only source of illumination, painting every surface in a bright-red glow and giving off a very foreboding atmosphere.

"JD." JD turned his attention to where Jodie was pointing and found another body slumped against a sealed door across from the lift entrance. The psionic slowly made his way toward them and found it to be a member of the DPA security personnel, blood dripping down the side of his head from a hard injury.

Reaching down to check his pulse, he was suddenly grabbed by the man and pulled down until they were face to face. "Don't go..." he moaned loudly, "Nothing...but...death...in there."

JD managed to break free and shove the man back against the wall, the guard slumping over and not moving. "Fuck me..." he muttered getting back to his feet.

"I think the condenser's through there." Jodie said pointing at the door where the body had been against. The sudden reaction of the man having spooked her pretty bad as well, and leaving her worried about what else they would encounter the farther in they went.

Using TK to gently move the guard's body, JD pulled the door open to reveal a small corridor used for decontamination. The bodies of two scientists laid on the floor, outside on the other end, through the window in the door, a fire could be seen in the next room.

The couple moved slowly around the bodies and headed for the exit...

A wet sound, like someone walking through a puddle made them stop and spin around-

Nothing. Just the bodies they had passed.

Shaking off the unease, they continued on. Peering through the reinforced window to see the fire that was burning was from a collapsed section of the corridor beyond. Just outside the door looked to be a security station with a terminal and an open doorway.

Jodie tried to pull the door open, but found it impossible. JD tried his luck, making the door creak some before standing upward. "Stand back." he said, channeling his power to his hands, the air distorting around his palms and glowing blue before he thrust them forward.

A powerful psi-blast flew forth, slamming into the dense metal and putting a large dent in the middle. A second blast followed, warping the metal even more and cracking the reinforced window as well. One last one blew the door wide open and clearing the path for them.

Calling back his power, JD stepped through first. Checking to be sure things were okay before motioning for Jodie to follow him. A very cold chill filled the air. The fire burning ahead of them should have warmed the corridor considerably...meaning that whatever was going on was definitely not normal.

Crunching through blood soaked glass that was once part of the doors next to the security station, the approached the body of the guard that must have been on duty during the attack. Jodie touched the body like she had the one in the elevator, Aiden allowing her to see the man's final moments;

 _"I called the emergency team, they're coming!" the guard shouted as two scientists, one of which was wounded, limped toward the decon-hallway._

 _Something flew through the wall beside him, the force of the hit sending him smashing into the wall and getting laid out on the teminal._

Jodie pulled out of the vision and shook her head, she turned away and entered the server room through the shattered doorway. Finding the body of one of the scientists and connecting with him to see a similar fate.

"They're here..." Jodie said shivering, having seen three people getting killed thus far. "They killed everyone down here...I can still sense them."

"I can too." said JD, his fists clenched tightly at his sides and his teeth gritted. He may not have been able to see what she had, but he could _feel_ that something was lurking in the shadows around them.

They weren't alone...and they were being watched.

"There are ducts." Jodie said, pointing at the grate in the ceiling behind a wall of broken equipment. "If we can get up there, we'll be able to keep going."

Aiden took that as they que to act. Poping the duct open and knocking over the server closest to it, giving them the opening they needed.

Path clear, Jodie crawled up the side of the server and jumped up into the duct, JD right behif her as they started crawling through the ventilation system. Dropping down into the room next door where several fires where spread out around them.

A man's loud screams had them tensing, the noise cut off suddenly by a louder, inhuman screech.

Taking a moment to gather their wits, the couple followed the only open way out of the burning room. "Look, another body." Jodie said pointing to another dead researcher.

JD coughed, the smoke filling the room starting to get to him. "Make it quick, we won't last long in here." His lover nodded and went about checking the man's memories. While she was doing that, the psionic looked for a way out.

Finding a couple desks by windows leading out into the hallway, he picked up one with his TK and threw it through the glass, creating the opening they needed while Jodie came back from her vision.

"He was discussing how the condenser worked when the attack happened." she said, approaching the whiteboard the researcher had been standing at when he was killed. "What the hell were they doing down here?"

"Whatever it was won't matter if we don't stop it." replied JD, leading her through the opening in the window he had made and back out into the hallway behind the fire that blocked their way before.

Checking the body of a dead fireman, Jodie was able to help locate a discarded fire exstinguisher that Aiden helped them get so that they could use it to clear out the fires blocking the way.

Smashing into another office to cut around another flaming blockade, the couple stopped when they heard the sound of groaning coming from close by.

"Someone's still alive." JD said, looking around the trashed room for any sign of life.

"Over there!" Jodie said, pointing to a corner where someone could be seen slumped over a desk. They made their way over, being as careful as possible while the brunette put her hand on the man's arm. "Ex-Excuse me? Sir? Are you okay?"

The chair the man was in turned to them slowly, but he wasn't moving. Considering what they had seen thus far, it was pretty safe to assume that the man's was more than likely dead.

But when JD went to say something...the man's eyes sprung open. White, soulless orbs that seemed to glare with hate. "What are you doing here!" he bellowed, jumping to his feet and making Jodie stumble back, forcing JD to catch her before she fell over.

"Little bitch..." the man hissed, taking a step forward before he collapsed to the floor as quickly as he he had risen.

The psionic pulled his girlfriend from the body, "What the hell was that!" he exclaimed once he was sure the man wasn't getting up a second time.

"I...I don't know." Jodie stuttered, shaking her head. "Something...Something was wrong with him. I could feel it. His voice sounded like it didn't belong to him, it was dark, hateful...and those eyes..."

JD gave her a questioning look, "Do you think he was possessed? I mean, Aiden can do that to people, maybe these entities can do it too."

"It's possible, but I don't know anything about-"

"GET OUT!"

The couple jumped and spun around to the other side of the office to find another bloody and battered man standing up. Unlike the last one, this one looking very much alive.

"You...You need to get out! LEAVE! Please, please God! Please no! No, no, no! Please!"

"Whoa! Take it easy!" JD said, putting himself between the obviously terrified researcher and Jodie with his hands raised. "Calm down. We're not going to hurt you. We work with Professor Dawkins, we came to help."

The man blinked a couple times, his eyes darting around the room as though he were afraid that the walls themselves would come alive. "The...The entities...they invaded the laboritory." he started to explain, "Creatures from the depth. I managed to hide...but they're still here...I know they're still here."

"We know." said Jodie. "Try to get to the elevator. It's working now and we cleared a safe path, you should be able to get out."

"You're...You're both staying here?!" he asked equally terrified and surprised. "But, those things...those things will kill you!"

JD gave him a strong look, "We're not alone."

The researcher shook his head, "We always face death alone." he started to make his way out fo the office-

A black shadow shot up from the floor and pierced through his body. He froze where he stood, both teens looking a him as he turned back around to face him...his eyes the same soulless white as they last man they had just seen.

"Die, you little fuckers...DIE!" He screamed, grabbing a nearby lamp and swinging it at them.

JD shoved Jodie aside, narrowly dodging the projectile thrown at him as he brought his hands up in defense. "Hay! What the fuck!" he shouted as the man lunged for him like a wild animal.

The psionic ducked under his arms, driving his elbow up into his jaw and knocking him back a couple steps to put distance between them. But the researcher didn't seem to acknowledge any damage that could have been done as he lunged again.

A hard right-cross struck the man on the side of the head, it stunned him for a moment, but remained upright. JD grit his teeth and punched again with the same result. Taking a step back he swung a roundhouse kick...only for it to be caught in the man's surprisingly iron-like grip.

Overcome with shock, JD suddeny found himself airborne. The researcher having used his leg to throw him across the room and into a desk.

"JD!" Jodie screamed as she watched him go down. Grabbing a pipe that was on the floor nearby and charging at the possessed man. Slamming the metal object against the back of his head and pitching it forward.

Head slowly rising back up, he turned and glared hard at the girl. "You're dead...BITCH!" he screeched before lunging after her.

Jodie gripped her weapon tight and swung again, the hard smack of it hitting the side of his head echoed. But despite the blood running from the open wound the pipe had made, he still kept coming.

She swung again, another hit, but he was still standing. A third swing, this one hitting his arm and dislocating it. She swung a fourth time, but it was caught in the man's hand. Yanking it from her grasp, his hand then clenched around her neck, lifting her from the floor, grip tightening and cutting off her ability to breathe.

Gasping for what air she could, Jodie kicked the possessed as hard as she could. But his grip was unyielding, darkness creeping around the edges of her vision and she started to feel light headed.

The hold on her throat vanished. A loud crash being heard as she fell to the floor taking in huge gulps of air, "Jodie!" she looked up and found JD kneeling down next to her, holding his side from where he landed against the desk he was thrown toward but looking no worse for ware.

"I...I'm okay." she gasped out as he helped her up. Looking to where JD had sent the man he hit with a psi-blast, she felt her blood freeze when she found him back on his feet.

One of his sleeves on fire, having landed close to one of the nearby blazes, but paying no attention to it as he came at them again.

JD fired another psi-blast, knocking the possessed down again, only for him to get back up. "He won't stay down!" the psionic exclaimed as he fired another attack.

"He's possessed!" Jodie said, reporting what Aiden had just informed her of. "There's nothing left of him in there, the body won't stop coming until the entity in him leaves!"

JD growled, using TK to pick up the pipe Jodie had and flung it forward. The metal projectile driving through the man's throat, a fountain of blood exploding out his back when the sharp end burst forth.

The soulless form merely gurgled with the pipe in its throat while it continued to stumble forward. His head shuttered and flicked around for a split second, reaching backward, he grabbed the pipe and ripped it from his body, blood rushing down his front and back as he prepared to attack.

Reaching out with his powers again, the psionic grabbed onto the man with TK. Lifting him into the air and throwning him into the nearest wall. The sickening crunch of bones breaking reached his ears as the body attempted to rise yet again, but the damage was starting to take its toll making it harder for the possessed to move.

Picking the body up again, he threw it into another wall, and then another, and then another. By the time it was over, there was nothing left of the body but a pile of shattered bone and torn tissue.

It did not rise this time.

JD's shoulders slumped, wiping sweat from his brow. The constant use of his powers was starting to affect him, and if it turned out that there were more... _things_...like that roaming around the danger factor had risen to a whole new level.

Her heard sniffling and turned to Jodie, his girlfriend had tears in her eyes as she looked at what had become of the once living man. Her scared gaze turned to him, "We need to stop this..." she all but whispered.

Nodding, the psionic put an arm around her and led her out of the office. Back into the corridor that would take them to their destination.

They stopped briefly when the found a trio of soldiers laying dead on the floor. From the looks of things, they'd all been shot to death...and after experiencing what they just had, it was safe to assume it wasn't 'friendly fire' that killed them.

Taking a deep breath, JD knelt down and started looking though the closest soldier's equipment. "What are you doing?" Jodie asked, wondering what he was up to.

"If the entities can possess bodies, my powers might not be enough to put them down." he replied, finding what he was looking for and standing back upright. In his hand was the soldier's sidearm, an M9 pistol, and two spare bullet clips.

Jodie looked at the gun surprised, "Can you even use one of those?" she couldn't help but question.

JD slipped the clips into the front pocket of his jeans, testing the weight of the sidearm in his hand before pulling the slide back. The first round of the clip already in it slipped into the chamber as the slide snapped forward.

"Only one way to find out." he said when he was sure everything was set.

Turning to the doorway they needed to get through, he used his TK to move the large cabinet that was used to block the way. Jodie came to stand next to him as he raised his newly acquired weapon, both preparing to face what would be waiting for them farther in.


	9. 8) Stronger Together Pt2

JD winced when the pain in his side flared up, doing his best to ignore it as he kept his eyes open for anything hostile that could be laying in wait.

He could tell he had at least a cracked rib or two. The strength the possessed researcher had was something he really hadn't been expecting, he'd been lucky that the force behind the throw hadn't broken him in half when he landed. And if there were more of them in the facility, then they needed to shut down the condenser and fast before more people ended up either dead or a mindless puppet.

"JD?" Jodie asked, seeing the look of pain on his face for the brief moment he tired to hide it, "What's wrong."

"Nothing, Jodie. I'm fine." the psionic replied as he kept his recently acquired pistol level while they made their way though the small lab they had just entered.

He knew full well she didn't believe him, and opened her mouth to call him out on it when something moved.

Sidearm aimed, eyes glowing with his powers as he prepared to attack...JD relaxed when he saw that it was just an office chair that had rolled out into the open.

 _"Just a chair."_ he thought breathing out slowly and relaxing his stance. _"This whole situation is messed up. What else could possibly-"_

"LOOK OUT!" Jodie screamed, pulling him down as a computer monitor flew through the air where it would have struck him in the head and smashed against the adjacent wall.

As if on a signal, various other objects and pieces of furniture seemed to gain a life of their own and come after them. "JODIE MOVE!" JD shouted, both of them sprinting through the labyrinth of desks, servers and various other equipment. Dodging everything that was thrown their way and avoiding being crushed to death.

The psionic snapped his free hand out, a pulse of TK repelling a barrage of computer monitors as they made for the door that would lead them out of there. They were a few feet from the door when an electric cable hanging from the ceiling came live and lashed out like a snake.

JD attempted to throw a psi-blast at it, but the cable struck first. Hitting him in the chest and taking him off his feet before whipping back around and wrapping tightly around his neck.

Dropping the pistol, he grabbed at the cable and attempted to pry it off, but it wouldn't budge and instead tightened and making it impossible to breathe.

Jodie grabbed the cable, using all her strength to try and free JD when a second one came down and grabbed her around the middle. Flinging the young woman aside and into a file cabinet. "Aiden!" she called out in desperation.

The entity attacked, using his power to blast the cable attempting to harm his host to pieces before going after the one strangling the psionic. Severing the it in the middle and giving him the chance to pull it away from his neck.

Coughing while gasping in much needed oxygen, JD glanced toward Jodie was already back to her feet. "...I'm never, _cough_ , going into a haunted house ever again..." he couldn't help but say, picking up the pistol and standing up.

"Agreed." his girlfriend said back as they headed to the heavy steel door at the other end of the lab.

Punching the right key, the door popped open with a loud hiss allowing them to pull it the rest of the way. A blast of ice-cold air hitting them full force and making them shiver as they took in the room beyond.

Frost covered every surface, the temperature somewhere below zero with wisps of cold billowing about. Bodies could be seen scattered everywhere, nearly as frozen as the rest of the room with looks of terror perminently marred on their faces.

"Someone leave the AC on?" JD said jokingly, white mist puffing out of his mouth with each word as he surveyed the anomaly around them.

"The entities have to be responsible for this." said Jodie, wrapping her arms around herself in a vain attempt to fend off the cold. "The condenser is close, I can feel it echoing on the other side of that door at he end of the hall."

Seeing her state, the psionic unzipped the black hoodie he was wearing and wrapped it around her, leaving him in a simple white t-shirt. "You'll freeze." she argued, not wanting to have him suffer for her.

JD shrugged, holding the M9 infront of him, "I'll live. Now let's get out of this ice box." he said moving forward. Being mindful of the bodies, they moved slowly so as to not be noticed should any of them be possessed.

Giving each corpse a wide birth, they managed to get to the other end of the corridor without any trouble. JD pressed the keypad beside the sealed door, the light on it flashing red with 'Denied' blinking on the display.

"Fuck. Need clearence." he cursed.

"Maybe one of the researchers has a keycard?" offered Jodie, they looked back at the room and the dozen or so bodies laying all over the place.

They didn't have a lot of time or options, and with things not getting any better they needed to work fast.

"We'll split up, each covering half the room." said JD, not liking the idea but knowing they had no other choice. "Take it slow, find the pass for the door, and get out of here. Stay within hearing distance incase of trouble."

Jodie nodded in agreement as they walked in separate directions. The psionic choosing to check the bodies they passed in the corridor while she went into the office by the door.

Crouching beside the first corpse, he came up empty after checking pockets in the lab coat and pants. The same was said for the next two he went through before moving onto the forth who looked to have been in the process of running for the exit when he was attacked.

One of his legs was bent at an odd angle, which explained why he didn't make it, and the wide, frozen eyes marking his last moments being full of pain and fear.

 _"That's no way to die."_ JD thought sadly, _"None of these poor bastards deserved to go out like this."_ He leaned down to check the man's coat for the keycard-

The body suddenly lurched, hand lashing out and grabbing his wrist like cold steel, head flickering like static as it snapped up and turned to look at him. Eyes rolling over white as whatever inhabited his body took full control.

"You and that bitch will die down here!" the possessed hissed darkly.

JD pulled back, bringing his foot up and slamming his heel down on the man's face with a loud crunch. "Don't fucking think so!" he snapped while putting distance between him and the body.

Jodie's scream from back by the office had his heart leaping into his throat. "JODIE?!" he shouted, preparing to run and help when all the bodies in the corridor started moving. Rising themselves up on nearly frozen joints and shambling toward the psionic.

Teeth gritted, he raised his pistol and pulled the trigger. The weapon kicked as the bullet punched a bloody hole through the chest of one of the possessed, the impact staggering them, but them managed to remain upright and continue its soulless trek.

Reaiming, and being sure to brace himself for the next shot, he fired again. This time the bullet went through the reanimated body's left eye and out the back of it's head. The possessed fell to the ground instantly.

"Guess that still works." he thought outloud. One of the other bodies managed to get close enough to grab his arm, he quickly snapped his leg out and caught it in the back of the knee, dropping it to the floor and shooting it in the head point blank.

The remaining possessed closed in, but the psionic lashed out with a psi-blast that sent them crashing into the nearest wall and giving him the chance to run to where Jodie was supposed to be. Arriving in time to see his girlfriend come crashing through an office window.

"Jodie!" he shouted, the shuttering groans of several possessed filling the air as they skulked out toward them.

JD aimed the pistol and fired, a few shots missing their targets when the heads of the bodies shuttered forcing the bullets to pass through them. Four of the possessed fell to the ground with holes drilled through their skulls when the slide of the gun locked back signalling an empty clip.

"I got the keycard!" Jodie exclaimed, holding up the security pass she managed to find before the possessed started rising.

"Get the door open! I'll cover you!" the psionic called back, dumping the spent clip and slamming one of the two spares in its place. The slide snapping forward before he started shooting again.

The possessed had all poured into the hallway by that point, forming a wall of moving bodies. Some of them falling to the floor when they were hit in the head, the others stepping over them as they converged on the couple.

"Come on! Fuck! It's not working!" Jodie shouted, trying the card for the third time and not getting any luck with the door.

JD grabbed a possessed with TK and threw it into another while shooting a third when it got too close. "Keep trying!" he exclaimed, swapping to the last full clip he had as he kept their attackers at bay.

Aiden launched away from Jodie and knocked a handful of possessed away, offering what help he could to keep the attacking force from getting any closer.

The tense standoff lasted only another minute, but to the trio it felt like hours until the sealed door finally unlocked for them. "IT'S OPEN!" Jodie screamed as she wrenched the heavy door open with all her strength.

JD fired the last few bullets in the pistol before throwing it at the few remaining possessed. Slipping through the door, he channeled his psionic-power to his hands and launched a strong psi-blast that sent them all flying back. Grabbing the door when they were out of the way and slammed it closed behind them.

With the threat cut off from them, the teens looked down the small, closed off corridor they were now in. Another sealed door was situated on the far end with a 'Restricted Access' sign flashing above it.

"That's it." said Jodie, the echos she had been feeling coming from the condenser getting stronger.

The couple treaded toward the door, the icy floor dissolving away the closer they got along with the freezing temperatures. Sliding the keycard in the panel on the wall, the door popped open and they stepped into what had to have been a control room.

This place looked worse than any room they'd been in since arriving. Every piece of equipment had been torn apart, sparks flashing through the air while what little power running through the room still functioned.

Finding a dead researcher slumped over in his work station, Jodie approached him and used Aiden to connect to what remained;

 _"We need to shut it down!" the man shouted to his co-worker as they frantically moved about the control room._

 _"I can't...I CAN'T!" entities flooded through the walls and tore into both men before they even had a chance. Ripping the room apart before vanishing farther into the facility._

Snapping back to reality, Jodie heard JD mutter "Holy fuck..." lowly from a few feet away, looking out the shattered window that overlooked the chamber on the other side.

Moving to stand beside him, she gasped at the sigh before them.

On the floor below, an array of machines hummed loudly in he middle of the chamber. Between them was what looked to be a literal 'rip' in the air made of pure energy, a black opening in the center where dozens of dark entities flew out and roamed around freely.

"They...They did it..." Jodie whispered, "A passage to the other side."

JD pulled his gaze from the dimensional opening and started looking around the control console before them. "We need to shut it down, before too many of those things manage to get through." Finding a red lever that controlled the power output for the machinery, he immediately grabbed it and pulled it all the way back.

Nothing happened.

"Oh you can't be..." he flicked the lever back and forth a few times with the same result. "Fucking dammit!" he shouted, slamming his fist on the console. "How the hell are we supposed to shut this thing down?"

Jodie narrowed her eyes, seeing something at the other end of the chamber on the upper floor. "Up there!" she exclaimed pointing, "Another console! If we can get to it, we might still have a chance!"

Looking up at the console she had seen, JD turned his gaze back to the rest of the room, and the untold number of entities flying around. If they wanted to reach the shutdown switch for the condenser...then they would have to push through a large room filled with otherworldly monsters that would tear them apart.

 _"But what other choices to we have?"_ he thought with an uneasy sigh. The only way to get to the other console was over the walkways surrounding the chamber. They had to be quick, but careful to avoid falling over the edges.

"Okay." he said turning to his lover, "Okay. Let's do this."

They approached the door, ducking back when an entity flew too close to it and waited for it to pass. "Ready?" JD asked. Jodie nodded, bracing herself as he grabbed the doorhandle and pulled it to the side. "Aiden, watch our backs in there. We go on three."

The entity echoed in response, prepared to protect the two of them from the creatures on the other side of the door.

"One..." the psionic started to count down, "Two...THREE!" he shoved the door open and they bolted through it, their feet hitting the metal walkway below them loudly as they sprinted for the ladder at the end.

Jodie went up first, going as fast as she could. A dark entity flew through the ladder, knocking her down a rung and grabbing her foot, trying to yank her off.

JD fired a psi-blast at it, knocking the evil spirit from her leg and allowing Aiden to destroy it, the duo quickly ascended the rest of the way and made a b-line down the next walkway.

Another entity saw them and shot after them, screeching loudly in preparation of tearing them in half.

"Duck!" Jodie screamed, both of them dropping down and narrowly missed being struck by the spirit before rounding the corner ahead of them. JD reaching out with his TK and pulling down another ladder that was locked above them.

"Jodie, go!" he called out, firing a couple psi-blasts to knock away a few entities that closed in on them and giving her time to get to the top. The psionic going up right behind her to the next level of the chamber and running to the other side, narrowly avoiding more spirits that flew in their path.

The walkway ahead of them had collapsed, leaving a wide gap that was too big to jump. "Here." Jodie said, stepping up onto a piece of support pipe that connected the walkway and the only viable way to get to the other side.

"Have I mentioned that I hate heights?" JD said as he stepped up onto the pipe as well, both of them steadily moving sideways along the narrow support. Jodie made it first when he reached the half-way point, taking another step, his leg was suddenly grabbed and pulled downward. "SHIT!"

A dark entity screeched at him, one of its tentacles wrapped tightly around his ankle as it yanked again, forcing the psionic to drop and grab the pipe with both hands and hold on for dear life. "A LITTLE HELP WOULD BE GREAT!" he shouted while the creature pulling on him attempted to tear his leg off.

Aiden swooped down and quickly destroyed the spirit, doing the same to a couple others while JD pulled himself along the rest of the way. Jodie reaching a hand down and helping him up when he reached the platform. Both of them ascending one last ladder to the highest point in the room.

Finding themselves facing another gap, this one with a small magnetic platform at the end with a console set up on the walkway. "Jump on the cable!" JD exclaimed.

Jodie quickly realized what he was thinking and sprinted toward the end, jumping off and grabbing the cable with her feet on the magnet. The psionic went right after her, slamming his palm on the right switch on the panel along the way, starting up the pully system the cable was attached to as he jumped and grabbed onto it just as it started moving across the chamber.

All around them, a dozen entities started to circle. Shrieking like banshees and snapping their jaws as the teens hung in the air vulnerably.

Arm coiled around the cable, JD launched one psi-blast after anothter. Keeping the creature's at bay while Aiden flew threw and destroyed them.

Jodie screamed as one of them managed to get past the psionic and the entity, shadow-like claws slashing into her left thigh and making her lose her grip.

"Jodie!" JD shouted, diving down and grabbing her hand before she could plummet to the ground below, his other hand gripping the cable to keep them both from falling. "Hang on! We're almost there!" he called down as she brought her other hand up to strengthen her hold on him.

Movement out of the corner of her eye had her turning her head, the same entity that attacked her was coming back around and coming straight for them.

"JD look out!" The psionic turned his head and saw the threat, but could do nothing as the dark spirit flew by. The same claws that had cut into Jodie's leg racking along the side of his head.

He cried out, pain spreading quickly along the right side of his face along with the warm feeling of blood flowing freely. Drops of crimson falling off his chin and landing on Jodie's horrifyed face. "JD!"

The psionic hissed, doing his best to ignore the burning and focusing on holding onto the cable and his lover. Blood oozing down over his eye, forcing him to close it to avoid his vison being messed up while keeping his remaining one focused on the slowly approaching platform.

When they were close enough, he brought the arm holding Jodie back before swinging her up high enough for her to grab the edge of the walkway and pull herself up.

Standing on the magnet, JD jumped onto the platform after her. Wiping the blood from his eye enough for him to see out of it, but it did nothing to hault the steady flow from the three, six-inch long gashes that ran along the side of his head just above his ear.

"Oh my god!" Jodie said, limping a bit over to him due to her own injury. Her hand coming up and checking the damage done.

"I'm alright!" he said over the sound of the condenser below them, "We gotta keep moving, come on!" Taking her hand, they moved together toward the second control room. JD keeping Jodie stable through her limping as they crossed the distance in seconds. Aiden covering their backs to keep the other entities off of them.

Managing to jump two gaps in the walkway with some difficulty, they got to the door leading into the control and got inside quickly. Finding the console incharge of feeding power to the condenser, Jodie immediately grabbed the right lever and yanked it down.

A second passed, then another, at first they started to think nothing would happen like with the first one. But then the condenser started to shutter, the power output around it flaring brightly, the equipment sparking wildly as the whole room started to shake.

The sound of metal groaning echoed through the control room...a moment later the entire front section of it was ripped away and pulled toward the rift. The force growing massively in strength as everything in the chamber was pulled directly into it.

JD grabbed onto Jodie, fighting against the the gravity well as he pulled them into the alcove by the door to the control room. Covering his lover's body with his while gripping the wall to keep them both anchored.

Below, the condenser shook more violently. The rift destabilizing out of control before erupting in large explosion that rattled the entire building to its foundation. When the dust and smoke settled, the burning remains of the machine was all that remained...

Ears ringing a bit from the blast, JD leaned away from Jodie and looked to be sure it was safe. Helping her to her feet, they stepped toward the ripped section of wall and looked down at the wreckage that had once been the condenser.

"...We did it..." the psionic said breathing a huge sigh of relief, "It's over." he turned to Jodie who was looking around the room, the look of distress on her face making him tense.

"Aiden?" she asked the air. Her anxiety increasing when she heard nothing in response. "Aiden, are...are you there...?" she asked again, and again received nothing.

"AIDEN!" Jodie screamed, falling to her knees with tears pouring down her scratched and dirty face. Terror gripping her heart at the empty feeling of not sensing the entity that had been with her since birth.

JD dropped down beside her, pulling her into his chest as she cried. A similar sense of loss hitting him as well, the feeling of having lost a close friend who had done nothing but help them both for so long...

...then they heard it.

A soft, reassuring echo the couple heard from closeby, a sound that filled them both with relief in knowing the one that made it was still very much with them.

"Don't ever do that again, casper." the psionic said smiling in relief. Jodie wiped her eyes, smiling as well with joy filling her very being. They had stopped the condenser and the entities it had unleashed...and all of them were okay.

But looking down at the smoldering remains of the device, she couldn't help but fear that the DPA would try do to this again. And if that were to happen, there was no telling what the outcome would be the second time around...

 **X**

Outside the facility, everyone had waited with bated breath. They had all felt the explosion coming from below them and wondered what had happened.

For Nathan Dawkins, he feared he worse. He never wanted the kids to go down there in the first place, but his hands were tied, and they were the only ones that would be able to shut down the device.

But now he was regretting it, the fear of something happening to them, that they wouldn't come back, made many unwelcome and negative emotions coming back full force.

Minutes ticked by like years, until one of the soldiers stationed at the door shouted that they could see movement. Out of the entrance of the facility, JD stepped into the open, Jodie held in his arms in a bridal carry with blood caked on the right side of his face.

"Get the EMT's!" Nathan ordered as he jogged toward the couple. "Jodie! JD! Thank god!" Now closer, he could make out the many bruises and cuts marring each of them. Jodie having an array of small cuts on her face and hands along with jagged tears in her pant leg were deeper ones could be seen.

"I shouldn't have sent you two in there...It's my fault...It's all my fault." he continued, upset with himself, but very glad the teens were alive. "I was so afraid that I lost both of you in there."

The psionic didn't say a word. Jodie, however, turned her head and looked at the man with an exhausted expression. "Don't let them ever do that again." she said barely above a whisper. "If they open a passage...there'll be nothing left."

A couple medical personnel came over, JD reluctantly handing his girlfriend over to their care before being looked at himself.

The horrible ordeal was over. But something told him that there was more going on than he wanted to admit. But for now, he just wanted to get back home and sleep...right beside Jodie where he belonged.

 **X**

 _ **It was one of the most terrifying moments I had faced since being reborn. But I was just happy that Jodie and I made it out alive, Aiden too for that matter, since for a moment we thought he was lost when the condenser exploded.**_

 _ **The things we encountered in that facility left Jodie and I both with nightmares, but it had also left us with a better understanding of the world beyond our own and the entities that existed there.**_

 _ **But at the same time, many questions remained. Why was the DPA trying to open rifts to the Infraworld? What could they hope to gain from making doorways between our world and the beyond?**_

 _ **None of it made sense, and no one was willing to tell us. My only hope was that Nathan and the other researchers learned from all this. No good would come from making openings like that, and no amount of research was worth the loss of so many lives.**_

 _ **Though, even when I first thought this, I had a feeling I was fooling myself.**_

 _ **It was like the old saying about playing with fire...but at the end, we'd all end up getting burned...or worse...**_


	10. 9) Conscripted

_"Breathe in...Breathe out...Maintain focus..."_

Following along with his mental commands, JD sat cross-legged in the center of an empty room, eyes closed with the blue aura of his powers flowing around him. In the air around him, covered in the same aura, were dozens of darts.

Continuing with his breathing, he controlled the projectiles to aim at the blank wall infront of him. His eyes snapped open and they all launched forward with he speed of a gunshot, the sharp points piercing their target and forming a large smiley face with X's for eyes.

JD smirked before standing up, getting the blood flowing back into his legs having been seated for so long. The empty room had been set up for him long ago as a save area for him to practice his powers without causing any damage...it was also a place where he would go to clear his head.

The now 19 year old psionic scratched the side of his head, his fingers running over the three long scars that ran along his right temple and curved down just behind his ear. It took 22 stitches to fix what the entity had done when he and Jodie shut down the condenser last year.

It hurt like hell, and recovery was annoying, but it was a price he was willing to pay as long as Jodie was okay. Besides, he thought the scars made him look badass, although his better half would just roll her eyes at his positive outlook on such an injury.

Their relationship was still as strong as it had ever been, in recent months they'd been staying in one or the others' room and sleeping there for several nights at a time. The development being allowed, along with more freedom for them both, after they risked their lives to close the rift to the Infraworld.

Many of the people at the DPA had even thanked the couple in one way or another for their courage. And from what was said by a few of he scientists, had they not stopped the condenser, the outcome would have been catastrophic on a massive scale.

Other than that, life continued on as usual. But JD couldn't help but think that something was going to be changing, and soon.

Jodie had been feeling the same way, but neither of them could put a finger on it. So instead that decided to remain cautious, just incase. There had been so many curveballs thrown at them throughout their lives, it was hard not to think ahead should another one come around the corner.

Taking a couple moments to stretch his stiff muscles, he used TK to bring his shoes over from the door and put them on before leaving the room. Nodding to a few guards that had been walking past the room when he had left before making his way in the direction where Jodie would be going through a test with Nathan and Cole.

He wasn't allowed in the room during the test, he was considered a 'distraction' and had to wait outside. He didn't mind though...there were other ways for him to be able to see what they were up to.

Arriving at the room, JD leaned against the wall beside the door and sat down. Knees bent with his arms resting on them while he closed his eyes and concentrated. His powers flaring to life for a brief moment before fading into nothing, the psionic's eyes rolling over white as a ghostly image of himself stood up.

Satisfied that his body would remain where it was, JD walked through the wall in his astral-form. Finding Jodie and Nathan sitting at a table in the middle of the room with Cole at a bank of computers off to the side.

The brunette had the usual headgear they needed to wear during tests while Nathan explained to her what the experiment was about.

Hovering close to her, attached together by a long teather of ethreal energy, was Aiden's shapeless form. The entity turning his attention to the new arrival who placed a ghostly finger to his lips, telling him to not give him away.

No one would be able to see him save for Aiden, something they all figured out when he first started using astral projection. It was one of the many reasons he could never sneak up on Jodie this way, the entity would always tell her when he was near in astral-form.

"Ready?" asked Nathan

Jodie nodded, "Yeah."

"Cole?" the professor asked his co-worker.

"Recording." he reported from his station as the test began.

"Now concentrate, Jodie." Nathan instructed, motioning to the various objects laid out on the table before her. "Tell me if you feel anything in particular about any of these objects."

Looking at the items; a photo of a blonde woman, a silver coin, a wooden box, and a hardcover book, Jodie picked up the photo first.

Nothing happened.

Setting the picture back where it had been, she picked up the coin next. Focusing a bit more, trying to trigger...something. But again nothing occurred and she set the object down.

Moving to the wooden box, Jodie opened the lid and found that it was a music box. Her reflection in the mirror under the lid looked back at her while a porceline ballerina in a red dress popped up and started to slowly spin to the soft tune that played.

She felt something then. A buzzing in the forefront of her mind telling her that there was something within the object that couldn't be seen by regular means.

 _"Do you feel it, Aiden?"_ she asked mentally. The entity responding with a positive echo as he connected her to the music box. Her eyes turned white as she was pulled into a vision;

 _"Thank you dad, it's so pretty!" a little girl exclaimed in excitement as she held the music box in her hands._

 _The image flashed to a much younger Nathan Dawkins who smiled widely at her, "Open it."_

 _The girl opened the box and gasped seeing the tiny dancer twirling to the music. The two of them laughing in joy together as everything went white._

Jodie gasped as she pulled herself back to reality, looking down at the music box with hesitation. "Jodie...?" Nathan asked, garnering her attention. "You okay?"

"Ye...Yeah...Yeah, yeah...I'm, I'm fine." she said, shaking her head as the last dregs of the vision faded.

"Did you see something?" the older man asked, his voice taking on a rather eager tone.

Debating for a moment to tell him what she saw, Jodie decided to be honest. "I saw a little girl...it was her music box."

Nathan drew back slowly, looking a little pale. "...Laura..." he whispered in shock.

A phone ringing broke the tense feeling in the air, Cole reached over and picked it up; "Yeah? Nathan? Okay, I'll tell him." he hung up and turned his chair to face his friend, "Nathan, someone named Ryan Clayton is here to see you. He says you know what it's about."

Nathan perked up, his eyes hardening as he stood up. "Yes...I'll be back in a moment."

JD took that moment to rush back to his body, standing up right as the door opened and the professor stepped out into the hall. "JD? I wasn't expecting to see you here." he said genuinely surprised.

"Eh, I got bored. Decided to check and see if Jodie was done with her test." the psionic replied with a shrug.

"Yeah, we just finished." Nathan said, sounding distracted as he looked down the hallway. JD following his gaze and saw another man, who couldn't have been no more than 10 or so years older than himself, heading toward them.

 _"Must be that Ryan Clayton Cole said was on the phone."_ he thought before turning his attention back to Nathan. Finding the professor looking anxious, yet at the same time hesitant. His usually kind eyes hardening like ice chips that briefly melted when the faced the psionic.

"JD, why don't you head in there and be with Jodie. I'll be with you both in a minute or two." he said, his overall demeanor becoming very out of character from seeing the new arrival.

Narrowing his eyes at the man's behavior, JD turned and headed into the room. A feeling of unease filling the pit of his chest, something about all of this was wrong. Nathan had been acting strangely for the last month, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get anything out of him.

But something told him it had everything to do with the man that just arrived.

"Hey, JD. What brings you around here?" asked Cole, he and Jodie both sitting at the bank of computers off to the side.

"What? A man can't come around and visit his favorite lady without being questioned?" JD asked back as he walked over and kissed Jodie who was more than happy to reciprocate. "Ran into Nathan outside...he looked a bit distracted."

"Noticed that too." Jodie said, looking at Cole questioningly. "What's been going on, Cole? He's been like this for a while."

The researcher sighed, "He's been trying to raise money for the lab. It's been bothering him for a while, you know how he can get."

"What about the guy I saw him meeting with out in the hall?" asked JD. "From the looks of things, Nathan wanted to be anywhere than in the same room as him."

"Don't know. Never met or heard about him until today. Gotta be something, though." replied Cole.

Jodie sighed as she crossed her arms and looked at the clock on the wall, "Hopefully we're done soon, I still got a lot of homework to do. It wierd, Nathan complains when either one of us gets bad grades, but he's alwats keeping us up with these tests when we should be studying."

"I'm not complaining." JD said smirking, "Any excuse to not fall asleep on a text book is good enough for me."

His lover smacked him playfully on the arm, "Lazy ass." she muttered smiling.

"Oh, you know you love this ass." the psionic whispered huskily while reaching down and grabbing a handful of of Jodie's perky rear, making her jump and blush deeply. "Just as much as _I_ love _this_ one."

"HEY! None of that in here!" Cole reprimanded before rubbing his eyes, "Damn kids, gonna put me in an early grave."

The couple laughed at the man's grumbling. JD turned his attention to one of the windows where he could see Nathan talking with 'Ryan'. His mind turning over what could be going on that they don't know about.

 **X**

"Listen..." Nathan started, very uncomfortable at the situation that he was now placed in. One that he had been putting off for too long now. "I never...got around to telling them. I need more time."

The other man shook his head, "No, Professor Dawkins, they need to come with me...today. I have my orders."

"Christ, they're only kids, Ryan!" the professor shot back. "My assistant and I are the only family they have...neither of them have any idea what's out there."

Ryan shook his head, "Look, Dawkins, I see your side of it. Alright? I do. But orders are orders, right? And at the very least, you convinced my superiors to at the very least keep them together...that's something." he crossed his arms and gave the older man a pointed look, "Now, are you going to get them? Or do I have to myself?"

Looking toward the room, seeing the two teens talking together and laughing, Nathan sighed with a heavy heart before making his way to the door of the testing room and opening it. "Jodie? JD? Could you come here, please?" he called weakly.

Looking to one another confused, the couple made their way to the door and outside where the two men were waiting for them. "What's going on, Nathan? You look upset." Jodie said, both she and JD sensing the thick tension in the air.

Nathan took another deep breath, "Guys, this is Ryan Clayton from the CIA." he introduced the other man who was standing stiffly and observing the teens with critical eyes. "The agency...wants you two to join their military school program at Camp Peary. Ryan's going to take care of you from now on..."

The silence that befell the hall was so dense, you could hear a pin drop. Both teens looking like they had been sucker punched in the gut by a prize fighter. "...What?" JD said, not believing what they had just heard.

"You have to go with him...today." Nathan added, his gaze cast to the floor at his feet, full of guilt.

"W-Why us?" Jodie said, her voice shaking. "I...I don't understand!"

"This unit, belongs to the CIA." said the professor, "They've been tracking yours and JD's cases, since you arrived and he woke up after the accident. They know what you both can do."

"So you decided to just hand us over to the CIA?!" JD seethed, fists clenched while trying to keep his powers contained. "Is that all we are?! TEST SUBJECTS?! Have us around for a while to poke and prod at then toss when we're not of any use anymore?!"

"Did you ever stop to think about what we would want?!" Jodie demanded, equally enraged at the whole situation as Cole came out of the room to see what was going on.

JD snapped his head around and glared at him, "Did you fucking know about this, Cole?!"

"What? What's going on?" the researcher asked confused.

"Evidentally we've been handed over to the government on a silver platter, and _Nathan_ didn't bother to tell us until right now!" the psionic exclaimed. Cole looking as though the whole floor had been pulled out from under him.

"I...I know this is difficult, for both of you." Nathan said, doing his best to be sincere, "But you need to understand. This is a great opportunity for you."

Jodie shook her head, "You can tell the CIA to FUCK OFF! Because we're not going anywhere!" she shouted, grabbing JD's hand tightly in her own.

"Jesus!" Ryan scoffed, "Listen up, Miss Holmes, I don't give a shit about your pathetic adolescent pouting, alright? You both can rant and rave all you want, but just shut your mouth and do as you're told."

"Hey, Seacrest, why don't you go fuck yourself." JD snapped, not wanting to hear a damn thing out of the agent's mouth.

Ryan rolled his eyes, "Enough of this, let's go!" he reached out and grabbed Jodie's arm...

He was immediately slammed into, his body connecting hard against the closest wall with the psionic's forearm wedged tightly against his throat.

"Don't EVER touch her like that again you fucking piece of shit!" the JD roared, his eyes a blazing, neon-blue with his powers flaring around him like a raging fire.

"It's in your best interest to let me go, _kid_." the agent leered, the pressure on his throat tightening and making it harder to breathe. While at the same time internally surprised at how he had been easily taken down and restrained.

JD leaned in so that they were nearly nose to nose, "If you lay a hand on Jodie...I will _fucking_ BREAK _you_. And I won't need my powers for that."

"JD! Enough! There's no need for-" Nathan was cut off when JD's other hand snapped in his direction, the professor became frozen in place before being lifted off the ground and brough over so that the psionic could glare at him as well.

"And YOU! We trusted you! All these years of you telling us we could count on you and that you'd always be there for us! You knew these bastards would come for us and you didn't do anything about it!"

The professor had the desency to look even more guilty that he already had, "They...They were going to separate the two of you." he said solumnly. Making both teens look at him surprised. "Another agency was interested in your psionic powers and wanted you to be part of their ranks to help on the battlefield...but I managed to convince the CIA to keep you both together. If I couldn't keep you here at the DPA, then I was going to make sure that you stayed together...it's the least I could do..."

Another tense silence filled the air. JD slowly lowered Nathan back to the ground and released his TK, sending one more burning leer at Ryan before releasing and stepping away from him and going to stand by Jodie.

"JD...Jodie..." Nathan said, slowly approaching the couple and putting a hand on each of their shoulders with a pleading look in his broken gaze. "Please...do this for me..."

Jodie clenched her eyes, tears streaking down her face. She turned her head and looked up at JD who looked back with hesitation, but also knowing the full weight of what was happening.

They had no choice in the matter. And no matter how hard they fought against it, it wouldn't change anything.

"We'll...We'll go get our stuff..." she finally said with resignation. Taking JD's hand again as they headed in the direction of their rooms.

"Only the essentials," Ryan called after them, "We've got everything you'll need at Camp Peary."

JD raised the hand that wasn't holding Jodie's and flipped him the finger before they rounded the corner. Walking down the halls they had known for the last ten years for the last time.

The psionic led his lover into his room, closing the door behind him just as Jodie completely broke down. Clinging to him like a lifeline as he lowered them to the floor and held her. Keeping silent as she vented all of her grief and saddness.

"I...I can't believe this." she mumbled between her sobs.

"I know, babe." JD said softly back, running a hand through her hair. "You still have me. And I'm not going anywhere." He leaned back and raised her face to meet his, using his thumbs to wipe her tears away before leaning down and capturing her's in a gentle kiss.

Pulling back a moment later, he smiled. "You and me against the world." he vowed. Something they said to one another when things got hard or they had a fight. A spoken promise that no matter what happened, they would always be on each others' side to the very end.

Jodie gave a watery smile back, "You and me against the world." she vowed in return. They took a few more minutes to themselves before they started gathering the few belongings that meant the most to them.

Jodie took few clothes, photo albums/pictures in frames, books, the stuffed rabbit she'd had since she was little and the star necklace JD had given her after they started dating that had her birthstone in the center.

JD took much of the same, including a silver cross necklace Jodie had given him when he turned 18 that he slipped around his neck.

Finished packing, they left their rooms and meet in the hallway between them, each with a duffelbag with their things. Giving each other a reassuring smile, the psionic put his free arm around his lover's shoulders as they walked together to where the CIA agent was waiting for them with Nathan and Cole.

"Don't worry." Cole said, tears running down his dark-colored cheeks. "You both will be great..." he paused a moment, then stepped forward and hugged Jodie. "I'm gonna miss the hell out of you, princess..." he said sadly.

Turning to JD, the psionic held out his hand, but Cole stepped forward and hugged him too. "You watch out for her...you hear?" he whispered into his ear.

JD nodded, keeping his face impassive a Nathan came up to them next.

"I'll come see you two as soon as I can." he said, looking between them, having trouble finding words. "I'll never let you down...either of you. Understand?" The professor hugged them both, "I'll always be there for you, never forget that."

 _"Have a hard time believing that."_ JD couldn't help but think heatedly, but kept it too himself for Jodie's sake since she was having a hard time as it was.

"It's time to go." Ryan said, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but here at the moment.

The psionic growled, eyes flashing with his powers. "This place has been our home for the last decade...have a little fucking patience, asshole." The agent raised his hands and backed off, knowing full well what he was capable off if pushed too far.

When all the goodbyes were said and done, the couple nodded to Ryan who started toward the entrance of the facility. They followed after him, stopping at the door to gave one final look back.

The place that had been home, the only place they had known for the last ten years, and the only two people which they considered family all being left behind.

Taking it all in one last time, they left the DPA and headed toward the parked SUV waiting for them that would take them to their unknown future...but in the end, even with everything they had known behind them, they still had each other.

And to them, that was all that mattered.


	11. 10) Life in the CIA

Camp Peary looked similar to a lot of military academies. The main courtyard filled with whole groups that were either jogging together or doing some other form of exercise to keep in shape and pass the many trials that they would be facing.

The black SUV that JD and Jodie rode in drove through the main gate, the teens taking in all the sights around them as they pulled up outside the main building. Ryan getting out of the driver's seat while they got out of the back with their luggage in hand..

"This way." the agent said, leading them inside and down a series of corridors. Passing CIA peronnel and trainees alike that looked at the new arrivals curiously.

JD observed silently, marking several key spots to memory to be checked out later as their escort led them into what must have been the barracks. Opening a door on either side of a close-ended hallway to reveal rooms that were half the size of their old rooms and only had the bare essentials.

Though, considering were they were, it wasn't a surprise in the least.

"Your rooms. This is where you will be studying and sleeping for the next three years." Ryan explained briefly. "Training starts tomorrow at 5 am. Don't be late." Turning to leave, he paused before addressing the couple again, "By the way...Public Displays of Affection is frowned upon. So try to keep whatever happens behind closed doors."

They waited for the agent to be out of ear shot before JD snorted, "Fucking dick." he muttered, tossing his bag through the open door into his room before joining Jodie in hers. Sitting next to her on her bed and holding her hand, fingers interlacing together.

Jodie's head leaned to the side and laid on his shoulder, neither saying a word as they took in their new surroundings together.

Things were certainly going to be different from now on, but if there was one thing the psionic knew for sure was that they both knew how do adapt.

"So, training starts tomorrow." he said casually.

"Yep." Jodie replied simply.

A grin appeared on JD's face, "Ready to show them their so called 'intel' doesn't even scratch the surface?"

Even though she was still upset for being forced out of the DPA like they had been, his lover's grin nearly matched his own. "Yep."

 **X**

 _ **Being conscripted into the CIA was the biggest chunk of bullshit I had ever encountered, in both of my lives.**_

 _ **The fact Nathan had all but handed us over left a burning rage that I would hold onto for years to come. But I was thankuful that he managed to keep me and Jodie together through all of this, so at least there was some good to come out of all of this.**_

 _ **Like Ryan so 'gently' told us, training started the next day at 5am on the dot. After a minor orientation, we were tossed right into the meat grinder.**_

 _ **But what the instructors weren't expecting was that Jodie and I were already well trained in physical fitness. Taking to the obstacle courses and training regiments like fish to water and even passing several people who had been training at he camp months ahead of us.**_

 _ **Jodie had even chopped her hair short so that it didn't get in the way, it looked good on her if I was honest, but she was fully intending on having it all grow back and told me to not get used to it.**_

 _ **For me through all of this, it was like I was back home training for MMA matches all over again. And when the day came for CQC training to start...well...let's just say that they gravely underestimated what we can do.**_

 **X**

Ryan stood gobsmacked as yet another trainer was thrown to the mat, struggling to get back up after the beating he had taken. Jodie stood on his left, sweaty skin glistening under the lights of the training room with her arms crossed and a smile on her face.

When the trainer finally got up, he prepared himself while JD stood at the ready with only a bit of sweat dripping down his face. His breathing even and his eyes in sharp focused as he faced another opponent.

The man swung first, the psionic ducked under the strike and delivered several fast strikes to his side. Turning around the bigger man's form, he slammed foot into the back of his knee, then his elbow into his lower back before grabbing him around the neck and pulling his upper half backwards into an odd looking chokehold.

Struggling against the grip, the CIA instructor grunted when JD pulled harder, forcing him to tap the teen's arm to let him go.

"...Damn...Where the hell did you learn moves like that?" Lt. Millar asked between deep breaths, beyond impressed with the older teen's movements and skill.

"Being stuck at the DPA, needed to find a good hobby." JD replied, rolling his shoulders and bouncing from foot to foot. "Really got into MMA and the UFC, decided to stay in shape and learn a few moves. Jodie joined me before we started dating."

Ryan turned to Jodie who hadn't lost her smile, now he understood why she had won most of her training matches as well and where she learned to move like she could.

And after seeing them on the courses, he started to think that what he knew about the couple wasn't nearly as accurate as he had first thought.

 **X**

 _ **Seeing the look on Clayton's face, and the faces of all the instructors who trained us, was pretty damn priceless. And as the months stretched on Jodie and I proved time and time again that we weren't to be underestimated.**_

 _ **Of course, not all aspects of our training was cut and dry. They studying and test portion threw me for a loop, but education was a huge part of the CIA training regiments. But it had been worth it when our firearm training started.**_

 _ **Other than the incident with the condenser, I had only ever used a gun back in my old life when hunting with friends. It felt pretty good to get real hands on combat training with what me might face down the road.**_

 **X**

Dressed in full combat gear. JD flipped around the corner he was taking cover behind, drawing the .45 he was issued at the start of the session and shooting the three human-shaped targets that popped up.

Running from cover, he vaulted over a sandbag barrier, shooting another target that showed itself and sliding across the floor behind a crate.

Hearing more targets come up, the psionic stood and fired. Taking them all down and running to the next part of the course. Four more targets flew up while he was running...but instead of shooting, he fired a large psi-blast that ripped the targets from the floor and sent them straight into the wall at the far end of the warehouse where the session was taking place.

"Well...it wasn't firearm training. But you took down those last targets effectively, nice quick thinking." Millar said very impressed.

 **X**

 _ **Our abilities were also trained. The instructors who knew about them helping us hone them so that we could use them in the field at a moments notice should the need arise.**_

 **X**

Jodie breathed out, her and Aiden working together to blast through several stacks of oil barrels before them until they were all cleared out.

"Nice work, Holmes." the instructor said, turning his attention to the other side of the field to find JD picking up the old BMW that had been set up there as well with his TK. A moment later, the small vehicle started to groan before it crunched in on itself.

Metal warping and glass shattering as it was turned into a tightly bound ball that floated in the air with his power.

With a snap of his hand, the compressed car was thrown across the field into another stack of oil barrels, knocking them all down like bowling pins.

The instructor nodded, "Good. You both got ten minutes for a break, after that meet me at site B." with that he walked along the trial to the next course.

Jodie watched him go before yelping as she was encased with psionic energy and levitated over to JD who grinned cheekily at her. Releasing his hold on her so that she fell into his arms and taking her lips with his own, killing any protest she would have had as she kissed him back.

 **X**

 _ **At a few points, we had even discovered abilities we didn't think we possessed.**_

 **X**

In one of the many training rooms, Jodie stood calmly in the middle of a mat and took deep breaths. Slowly separating her feet and pushing downward into a split.

Reaching all the way down to the floor, she pushed more to touch down when a sharp pain shot through her left leg.

Gasping, she rolled to the side, cocking her leg up and holding it to releave the sharp jolts going through her. Aiden saw this and moved in close, extending his supernatural abilities out into her body.

In a matter of moments, the pain ebbed away until it was nonexistent. Jodie released her leg and slowly stood up, testing her weight on the limb to find that she had been healed.

Smiling at the air, she mentally thanked the entity before resuming her excerise.

At the same time, outside in the rain on one of the courses, JD laid on the muddy ground nursing his shoulder. The wet weather had caused the top of the two story climbing wall to become a slick surface, something he didn't think would hinder him until he made to jump off. His right foot slipping at the last moment which caused him to land on his left side instead of his feet.

Cursing at his own stupidity, the psionic gritted his teeth as he tried to assess the damage.

From what he could tell, he dislocated his shoulder, which could be fixed if he could get to the infirmary...except that the pain was suddenly replaced by a very noticeable warmth.

Looking at where he was holding his damaged shoulder, JD was surprised to find his hand glowing with the ethreal light of his powers. The energy seeping into his arm as a series of small cracks and pops could be heard. His shoulder being put back into place and healing right before his eyes.

When the light faded, his arm was as good as new. "...holy shit." he muttered, a grin splitting his face while he rotated his shoulder and found no pain at all.

He climbed back to his feet, stretched a moment before continuing the course where he had left off. Excitement rushing through him at the discovery of a new power.

 **X**

 _ **It went on like this for years, training, studying, sharpening our skills to the point where we could do almost everything as easy as breathing.**_

 _ **In the end I had to hand it to the CIA, their regiments were rigorous, but the results had been definitely worth it in the end. So much so that we were more than ready to take the final exams.**_

 _ **First there had been a written test. Jodie passed with high marks where I got average. Not bad, I still passed which had been good enough for me.**_

 _ **Second was the fitness test. Which was a lot easier since we'd been through the course several times already. Easy pass.**_

 _ **Next was the CQC test, where we had to fight three opponents at once. We both passed again, me scoring higher marks given my level of skill, but Jodie did just as good.**_

 _ **And finally, there was the combat test. The warehouse where our live-fire exercises had taken place had been turned into a close-quarters combat scenario, crates and walls were set up with armed guards patrolling the area, the objective being to capture the red flag at the far end of the course.**_

 _ **The purpose of the test was to show our stealth skills. Jodie had gone first, knocking out every guard and going for the flag...but Clayton, being the ass that he was, popped up at the end with a gun to her head telling her the BS about how she would be dead in reality...**_

 _ **But, my woman knew how to look after herself. And I couldn't help but laugh when the so called 'agent' was held at gunpoint by an Aiden-possessed guard, to which Jodie told him that in 'reality' he wouldn't have been able to open his goddamn mouth.**_

 _ **God I love this woman.**_

 _ **I passed my test just as effectively, though I had been told I was more or less in the Assault classification while Jodie fit well with Stealth and Intelligence gathering. Either way we had passed and had been accepted into the agency.**_

 _ **There had been a rush of achievement between us. After three years of getting put through the CIA ringer we had earned our spots, and it was also a good feeling when we proved to everyone that had looked down on us in the beginning that we were each a force to be reconned with.**_

 _ **Shortly after graduation, we were shipped out to DC where the agency headquarters was located. After a day of being shown around what would be our new work space, we were given the keys to our new home and told that we had a week to settle in before we would be going on assignments.**_

 _ **When we got to the aparment given to us...neither Jodie or I could believe that the CIA was flipping the bill.**_

 _ **It was close to a damn penthouse! Even though it was a one bedroom one bath, you could have about a dozen people here and stilll have plenty of room...and it was all ours for the duration of our 'employment' with the agency.**_

 _ **For the week we had off we broke in our new place. In the figurative sense and the**_ **physical** _ **. It was hard not to since we had almost no time for ourselves during training, and we had a lot of catching up to do.**_

 _ **It hadn't all been just sex, though there had been a decent amount of it. We had also gone on a couple of much needed dates and did a bit of sight seeing around the nation's capital.**_

 _ **When our break was up, we went back to the agency HQ and started on assignments. A few simple intel gathering and recon missions at first, then they started to become more complex and required a bit more skill.**_

 _ **After a year, Jodie and I had become rather good at our new jobs, and we had become well respected agents in the CIA for not only our powers, but our natural skills in the field as well. Despite how we got to this point, we had actually started to make a good life for ourselves...**_

 _ **Though, like most things when it came to us...good only lasted for so long before the bad came around. But that never stopped us from enjoying what good we had while we had it...**_

 **X**

Night time in Rio de Janeiro was truely a sight to behold. The many lights and sounds really bringing the city to life for those who both lived there and visited.

The culture and historical background of the Brazilian metropolis has been known to attract hundreds of thousands of tourists year round. However, not so deep beneath the surface, Rio had more than its fair share of crime that kept a good deal of people outside the boarders.

Robberies, kidnapping, political and local corruption, but the biggest was in drug trafficing.

The system behind it was more organized than most places, the drug lords even used children to send messages and move their product without being noticed. That, or the local police and government were either bought out or blackmailed.

Trying to put an end to the drug trade in South America was like fighting a Hydra. No matter how many heads were cut down, more would grow in its place, but that didn't stop foreign governments from doing whatever they could to at least slow down the amount of drugs coming into their nations from there.

Of course...such operations would have to be handled delicately and without drawing too much attention. And even then, not all assignments were known to end in success...and if such an event were to happen, something else had to be done to ensure there was no involvement of a foreign government.

30 miles outside of Rio, a rusty and dented Jeep Wrangler could be seen driving down a long stretch of dirt road. The headlights off conceling the vehicle in darkness, the light of the moon in the clear sky above being the only real source of light as it went deeper into the dense forest .

Inside, two men could be seen in the front. The one driving was a local in a hawaiian style shirt, a lit cigarette in his mouth running down to almost the filter as his eyes focused to the rough terrain ahead.

In the passenger seat, a younger man with lighter skin and a shaved head had his attention focused on the GPS device in his hands. Dressed in a t-shirt, cargo pants and combat boots, all in black so that he would blend in better with the shadows

They rode in silence, had been since they left the city limits, too intent on what they were doing for anything else.

("Stop here.") the younger man said in spanish. The driver slowed down and pulled off to the side of the dirt road. Concealed from the light of the moon beneath a canopy of trees while the engine was cut.

("You sure about this?") the older of the two asked as his passenger got out and opened the door behind him to pull out a black duffel bag that had been sitting in the back seat.

Setting it on the ground, he unzipped it and started pulling out the gear he had brought. Clipping a belt and leg rig to his right thigh first, then removing a .45 USP pistol and attached a silencer to it before slipping it into the holster on his leg.

Next came a black tactical vest, pockets filled with spare ammo clips and a few other useful items for what he would be facing. Once it was all clipped into place, he reached back and took out the last item. A black balaclava with a faded white skull imprinted on the face.

("Just be ready to hit the road to the agreed upon place.") was the reply as he pulled on the mask and closed the door. Checking his watch, he marked the time before setting off into the forest, the GPS guiding him to where he needed to go.

Stepping around trees and over other pieces of foliage, he treked a good mile before coming to a stop outside a man-made clearing. Hunkering down behind a thick tree trunk and peering around to get a view.

In the center of the clearing was an old house surrounded by a chain-link fence. Four men armed with AK-47s patrolled the outside; one each by the front and back door, another walking the perimeter, and the last one sitting on the tailgate of one of the three trucks parked by the gate in the fence.

Judging by the layout, there was bound to be at least three to four more men on the inside.

"Overwatch, I'm on site." he said, pressing the earpiece hidden under his balaclava.

 _"Copy that, Jericho. Remember, your objective is to extract the target to the designated evac point."_ a commanding voice replied over the connection, _"Our drones will monitor and we will feed you intel the best we can. But for the most part you are on your own. We only have one shot at this. If they even get a hint of trouble, they'll kill the target."_

'Jericho' nodded, "Rodger, Overwatch. I'm Oscar-Mike." he clicked the comm off and observed the area again, keeping a close eye on the man walking around the yard and making sure he was out of ear shot before pulling out a pair of hand-held bolt cutters.

Making quick work of cutting a hole in the fence big enough for him to crawl through, right behind a small shed near where he had been hiding to avoid it being found. Crouching behind the shed, he made another check of the guards' locations and saw the perimeter man was coming his way.

He kept out of sight, waiting until the guard was on the other side of the shed before gently knocking on the wall behind him.

The noise was enough to attract the man, making him come around to the back to see what was going on only to have his weapon yanked from his grasp and his neck locked into a chockhold. Struggling against the hold for a moment or two, 'Jericho' applied more pressure until he heard the muffled 'crack' of a broken neck.

Laying the dead guard down quietly, he looked out to be sure no one heard anything. Seeing no movement from the other three men stationed outside, he drew his silenced .45 and started moving. Keeping low to the ground close to the shadows out of sight as he moved to the rear of the house.

Taking cover on the side of the building, he leaned around the corner and observed the lone guard at the back door.

He sat in an old, beat up lawnchair, his rifle leaning against the side of the house with a cigarette in his mouth that he was smoking lazily. Unaware that he was being watched.

'Jericho' held his weapon ready, leaning around the house and stretching his other hand toward his target. A blue aura flowed down his arm and out from his palm straight at the guard, his body becoming encased in the energy and leaving him frozen in place.

With his target immobile, he crept along the side fo the building until he was right beside him. The man's eyes flicked his way, the only part of him that could move, and widened with fear as 'Jericho' raised his .45 and pulled the trigger.

The soft 'chirp' of the shot muffled by the silencer was all that was heard as the guard slumped to the side, the aura fading from his form now that he was neutralized.

Turning to the rear entrance, the agent crouched down just outside the door and closed his eyes. Focusing on the same energy he reopened his eyes to reveal pure white orbs.

At the same time, a ghostly image of 'Jericho' rose up from his body and passed through the door. Finding a kitchen immediately on the other side that led into a living room, then a hallway to a couple bedrooms and a bathroom.

The interior looked about as rundown as the outside, but he knew that it was just a front. A fact that was proven when he ventured through a locked door in the kitchen that took him down a flight of stairs to a large basement where three more men were stationed. One standing guard by the staircase, while the other two were busy beating another man tied to a chair in the middle of the room.

Going back to his body when he had confirmed what he needed to, 'Jericho' made quick work of getting the door open and slipping inside. Moving directly to the door leading to the basement and reaching for the knob...

Freezing when he heard footsteps on the stairs on the other side, meaning that someone was on their way up. The knob started to turn on its own and he pressed himself to the wall beside the door where it would swing open.

When it did, one of the men came up and headed toward the fridge in the kitchen. 'Jericho' slipping out from behind the open door and sneaking up behind him. A silenced shot to the back of the head all that was needed.

("Hey! Don't forget to grab one for me t-") the one who had been standing guard at the bottom of the stairs had come up after his friend and stopped mid-sentence when he saw him dead and the black-clad agent standing over his dead form.

There was a tense silence that only lasted second, the guard raising his rifle and opening his mouth to shout an alarm.

'Jericho' snapped his free hand out, his power flaring and freezing the man in place. Clenching his hand, the man made a choking sound as an invisible force crushed his windpipe. With a sharp twist, the man's head tilted at an odd angle, the rest of him collapsing to the floor dead.

The agent quickly and quietly moved to the stairs, the sudden noise most likely having attracted the last man and he needed to be fast.

And he wasn't disappointed when he found the last man on the stairs looking up, 'Jericho' jumped and came down with both feet planting hard into his chest and sending him crashing to the stone floor. A quick shot to the head put him down indefinitely and the agent moved to the restrained man in the chair.

"Agent Troy?" he asked in engish.

The man raised his head, his left eye swollen shut with dried blood caked on the side of his face. "Y-Yeah...who the hell...are you?" he wheezed out.

"The cavalry." 'Jericho' answered, making quick work of cutting the ropes holding him down. "Any injuries? Can you move?"

Troy winced as he stood up with a little help, "Nothing broken. I should be alright. We got an evac?"

"A mile hike to the West, got a ride waitng for us that'll take us to the exfil point." 'Jericho' pulled out his sidearm, leading the other agent up the stairs and into the house above.

The front door burst open, angry shouting in spanish ringing through the air that was silenced by a couple .45 caliber rounds. The remaining guard fired his rifle, forcing the two men into cover as the bullets ripped into the side of the house.

'Jericho' waited for the weapon to stop firing before moving out into the open, firing his pistol and forcing the guard into cover. When he was out of sight, the agent fired a psi-blast into the car he hid beind.

There was a sharp yell of surprise before the vehicle slammed into the side of another, everything going immediately silent after that.

"Let's move." he told the other agent, the two of them running to the fenced area he had cut through earlier that they passed through before disappearing into the dark forest. Jumping into the the jeep that had been waiting for them, the driver wordlessly driving to where the pick up zone was situated.

"So, you're the one they call Jericho, huh?" Troy asked from the back seat, the younger agent pulling off the balaclava and running a hand over his sweaty scalp. Fingers lightly bumping over the scars on the side of his head.

"That'd be me." JD said, taking out the GPS and checking how long it would be before they would be heading home.

"How did you do what you did back there? I've never seen anything like it before." wondered the other agent.

The psionic smirked, "Classified. Sorry, every man's got his secrets. Mine is just protected by Uncle Sam.

A sudden vibrating in his pocket drew his attention, taking out a smartphone and checking the alert that came through, he smiled when he found a text message from a special someone waiting for him.

 _ **Are you on you're way home?**_

JD quickly typed back; _**Will be heading back soon. Be home tomorrow night at the latest.**_

A minute later his phone vibrated again with another message; _**Okay. Can't wait to see you when you get back. I love you.**_

 _ **Love you too, babe.**_

Putting the phone away, the psionic couldn't help but want to be back home where he belonged. With the woman he couldn't stand to be away from for too long.

Life in the CIA was definitely hectic to say the least, but it was just another challenge in the new life he and Jodie had made for themselves. And if it was with her, it was a life worth living.


	12. 11) Enjoying the Moment

_**The thing about working with the CIA, they really know how to treat their agents. Especially when you're considered a specialist for very 'specific' assignments.**_

 _ **A good paycheck at the end of every week, a fully paid off apartment, and pretty damn good medical insurance. It's almost worth the life or death missions all over the US and various other countries.**_

 _ **But if I'm completely honest, one of the things I liked best about coming back from a mission for the government, was coming home to Jodie every time.**_

 _ **It really made life worth going through to wake up to seeing her laying next to me every morning. After everything we have to go through on a regular basis, it was the little things the two of us cherished above everything else.**_

 _ **The mission to Rio had gone off without a hitch. Reacquiring the captured agent that had gone missing a couple weeks prior and getting back to the states took two solid days. After going through a four hour long debrief, I was finally able to head back home where I belonged.**_

 **X**

The CIA headquarters was busy on a near constant basis, there was always something going on that required the agency for one thing or another. Though that didn't stop various agents from going home after a long day.

Or in JD's case, a long two days.

The psionic yawned into his hand, duffel bag slung over his shoulder as he rode the elevator down to the main floor of the HQ. After the mission, then the flight back to the US from Brazil, _then_ a four hour debriefing with the higher-ups after that, he was more than ready to head home and catch up on sleep.

A soft ding signaled the lift's arrival to the ground floor, JD rolled his neck from side to side as the doors slid open with a soft whisper. Taking a step and coming to a stop when he nearly bumped into Ryan Clayton.

"JD, welcome back." he said with an easy smile. "Heard everything went well down in Rio."

"It did. Troy wasn't beat up too badly, and the intel he had will put a wrench in the cartel's plans in the area for a while." the psionic replied.

Despite how they had met, and after a long period of adjustment, the both he and Jodie had managed to form an awkward friendship with him. JD still didn't trust him, but he was at the very least willing to work with him while he and Jodie were at the CIA. His better half agreeing with him.

Ryan nodded, "Good to hear. Jodie and I finished our mission the other day."

"How was the embassy?" JD asked, curious about how their night had faired.

"Very well. Jodie and Aiden got the intel without trouble and we were in and out, no trouble at all." replied the older agent. "She said she couldn't wait for you to get home, she might have something planned."

The psionic chuckled, "Well, Jodie doesn't do surprises too often. Wonder what she's got up her sleeve?"

"You're asking the wrong guy. Good luck with that one." said Ryan.

JD shrugged and headed for the entrance, "Catch you later, 'Seacrest'!" he called over his shoulder. Smirking when he heard the the disgruntled groan from the man behind him after hearing the name he'd been calling him since before the academy.

Stepping out into the warm night air, he headed into the agency parking lot and got into the dark-blue Ford Explorer that was waiting for him. Tossing his back into the backseat as he jumped behind the wheel and started it up. Pulling out into the mildly busy street and heading toward home.

The apartment he shared with Jodie was about five miles away from the CIA. It was 'oddly conveinient' in his opinion, but considering all of the time and effort that had been put into the two of them, it wasn't all that surprising the agency would keep two of its biggest assest close to home.

But knowing did little to ease the paranoia of working with the government.

JD may not have been one of those doomsday preping, conspiracy theorizing wack-jobs. But he had seen more than enough movies to know that the folks on capital hill with the least amount of plausable deniablility had the higher chance of stabbing someone in the back for one reason or another.

For the most part, however, he simply just kept his wits about him incase something could happen...and prayed that nothing did.

Coming up on the apartment building, the psionic turned down into the parking garage and pulled into the marked parking space for his car. Cutting the engine, he stepped out and locked it up before stepping onto the elevator and hitting the switch for the ninth floor.

Riding it up, he stepped out into the lavish hallway and approached the door to apartment 22. Taking his keys out and unlocking the door before stepping inside.

The smell of something spicy and delicious hit his nose almost immediately, his stomach taking that moment to remind him that he hadn't had much to eat in the last day in a half making it even more mouth watering.

"Jodie? I'm home!" he called out, dropping his bag by the door.

Jodie poked her head around the wall leading into the kitchen, Her hair done up in a long ponytail with two strands of her dark hair framing her pretty face. "Welcome back," she said before coming out into the open.

JD was struck silent when he saw his girlfriend approaching him wearing an beautiful, dark-red dress that went all the way down to her feet. The neckline cutting down just below her breasts making it look as sexy as it was elegant.

"Uh...wow." was all that he could manage, doing his best to keep his tongue from rolling out of his mouth at seeing such a sight before him.

Jodie smiled when she stood infront of him, satisfied with the reaction as she stood on the tips of her toes and kissed him. "I'm glad you like it. I figured that I would do something special since we haven't seen much of each other in the last week and a half."

The psionic nodded in agreement, smiling widely as he put his arms around her tiny waist. "You look amazing, babe. It was definitely worth coming home to."

"Good." she replied taking a step back, "Why don't you go shower and get changed, dinner will be ready in a few more minutes." with that she disappeared back into the kitchen, the light flap of her dress across the floor the last sign of her.

Shaking his head, smile still firmly in place, JD kicked his boots off and headed across the apartment and into the large bathroom next to the equally large bedroom the couple shared together.

Stripping and stepping into the warm spray. One of the things that had changed since they moved into their new home was that Jodie had tried her hand at cooking. The first few attempts had nearly resulted in the fire department being called, but she got better and was a very quick study, now she could make almost anything from scratch.

Though they did order take out a good deal of the time, whenever Jodie cooked was something the psionic both cherished and looked forward too when she was in the mood.

Turning off the shower, he dried off before wrapping a towel around his waist before venturing into the bedroom. His ears perking up when he heard a romantic song now being played from the stereo system near the entertainment center.

 _"Ahh, so that's you're play."_ he thought grinning. JD wasn't the only one who could get romantic when the situation called for it. Jodie was pretty good at the spontanious romance as well.

And after not seeing much of each other for almost two weeks with their hectic, and at times conflicting schedules, this was something they both definitely needed.

Getting dressed in a pair of black pants and a white dress shirt, deciding to keeping his feet bare as he went out to the small dining room where Jodie was just finishing up. "Hello gorgeous." he said coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist again.

"Hey there handsome." she said back, leaning into his embrace with her hands resting on his.

"What's on the menu tonight?" JD asked, placing a kiss on her cheek before looking down at the plates she had finished setting on the table.

Jodie untangled herself from his arms and smiled at him, "Asian Beef, something I haven't tried yet. Figured we could go with something new."

They took their seats and got comfortable, "It smells good." the psionic took a bite from the dish, pausing to savor the various spices that had been included. "...damn, Jodie. Top notch." he said before digging into the dinner.

"I went a little off the reservation with the recipe." said Jodie while she ate her own. "Figured a little added flavor wouldn't hurt."

They ate in relative silence, making small talk back and forth about what they had been up to. JD talked about Rio, how beautiful the city looked and how warm the weather was. Jodie talked about the embassy gala and the various important people that she mingled with while on her own mission.

When dinner was over, the plates were put away in the kitchen sink and the couple moved to the living room. JD sitting on the couch and pulling Jodie into his lap as they continued their conversations.

"We have got to have some vacation days coming to us, I say we go somewhere sunny. Maybe Hawaii?" he asked while raising his eyebrows knowingly.

Jodie raised her own in question, "Is this a ploy to see me in a bikini everyday?"

The psionic shook his head, "No...clothing can be optional." the brunette smacked him on the arm. "In all seriousness, we deserve a little time off. The CIA's got a tight enough leash on us, we deserve some time to cut loose and have fun."

"That would be nice." Jodie said, laying her head on his shoulder and cuddling as close as she could. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." JD replied, tightening his grip around her and kissing the top of her head. "This really was needed, how long did you have all this planned?"

She leaned away and adjusted her position so that she was straddling his lap. "Since I got back from the embassy. When I got word that you got back from Brazil I started putting things together, though I got lucky on the timing."

"And here I thought I was the romantic." the psionic commented casually.

"Can't let you set the bar all the time. Besides, which one of the two of us can cook again?" Jodie asked rhetorically.

JD rolled his eyes, "Alright, alright _master chef_. No need to poke fun at my lack of culinary skills." they laughed lightly together before they shared a kiss, then another until soon they were locked together in a heated makeout session.

Rolling to the side, Jodie laying across the couch with JD on top of her. His lips trailing down her neck, sucking gently on her collarbone and ellicting a throaty moan from the woman below him.

Her hands coming up and making quick work of opening his shirt, running her fingers over his chest and around to his back as he lowered the straps of her dress and kissing along her shoulders.

"I...I think w-we need to...move this to the bedroom..." Jodie managed to say through her gasps while JD went lower and started pleasurably attacking her breasts.

"If you insist..." the psionic mumbled into her skin, standing quickly and pulling her up into his arms. Her dress hiked up around her waist allowing her legs to wrap around his lower back for leverage. Their lips finding each other's again while JD navigated them through the apartment and into their bedroom.

Laying Jodie on the bed, JD took the sides of her dress and pulled down. The red satin sliding down her small frame, exposing more of her figure to his gaze until he slipped the garment off her small feet.

Now in nothing but a pair of grey cotton panties, Jodie sat up on her knees and pulled the psionic's shirt the rest of the way off before pulling him down ontop of her again. Bringing his lips back to hers as she worked on getting his pants off next.

"A little eager tonight?" JD couldn't help but ask. His response was his lover flipping them over so that she was now on top.

"Are you complaining?" she asked in return, grinning down at him.

The rest of their clothes were shed quickly, and for the rest of the night the young couple spent it in each other's arms making love to one another.

Neither of them aware that the next day would have several surprises that either of them were expecting.

 **X**

 _There were trees around him in every direction. Only, unlike regular trees, these ones looked blackened and dead. The grass and foliage on the ground below was grey and lifeless, not a sound could be heard in any direction._

 _The forest was for all purposes...dead._

 _Turning slowly in every direction, JD couldn't get his barings. Having no idea where to go or what to do. Movement out of the corner of his eye had him turning the other direction, seeing something disappear among the dead trees._

 _He tried to run after whatever it was, but his movements were slow, sluggish, almost as if he were trying to run along the ocean floor surrounded by water._

 _Weaving amongst the blackened trunks, JD searched for whatever he had seen. Seeing more movement on his left and turning to head that way. Whatever it was wasn't affected by whatever was slowing him down, always keeping ahead of him and just out of his visual range._

 _But he kept pushing after it. Something deep within told him that it was important for him to catch up, his instinct pulling him forward through the forest._

 _After what felt like forever, he reached a clearing. What he had been chasing all this time right in the center...but he wasn't prepared for what he saw._

 _Standing alone in the center of the clearing, was a woman. A head of short brown hair covering her head wearing light-blue hospital scrubs, a golden heart locket around her neck that glinted in the faded light around them._

 _The closer he got to the woman, he was able to see that her arms and legs were bound in chains that were attached to the ground._

 _At his approach, the woman looked up slowly, her eyes catching JD's._

 _His movements haulted when he saw them. Dull, listless, the eyes of a broken soul that had all but given up on the world. It hurt to see such eyes, but he could not look away._

 _"Who...Who are you?" he asked. His voice confused at what he was seeing._

 _The woman opened her mouth, but nothing came out save for a soft croaking noise. Almost like her vocal cords had trouble functioning._

 _"...P...lea...se..." she pushed out despite her trouble speaking. "S...a...ve...he...r..."_

 _It may have been hard to understand, but JD made out the words as best he could. "Save who?"_

 _She reached up slowly, the chains around her wrist rattling with her movement as she touched the locket around her neck. "...Sa...ve...h...er..."_

 _In the next instant, the unknown woman burst into ashes. The chains going with her as a bright flash of light filled JD's vision..._

 **X**

Eyes snapping open and a sharp inhale brought the psionic back to the world. After making sure that he was really awake, he sat up slowly and immedately took notice that he was alone in bed.

The clock on his nightstand read _9:37AM_ , so Jodie was most likely awake and moving about. She was always the earlier riser between the two of them.

Pushing the last tendrils of the strange dream to the back of his mind, JD stretched his arms and back a moment before getting out of bed. Pulling on a pair of basketball shorts from his dresser and heading for the kitchen where the sounds and smells of food could be sensed.

Coming around the corner, the psionic was greeted with the sight of Jodie standing at the stove. Her back to him wearing one of his t-shirts that barely touched her knees with her hair all messed up from the night before.

He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms as he simply watched her silently. The young woman happily humming to herself as she went about her business.

Moments like these were what JD liked the most. Seeing Jodie so happy and carefree always made him smile and feel content. To him, she was perfect, right down to the little things. Her laugh, her smile, the crinkle in her nose when she was angry, and she always had this aura around her that he couldn't help but be drawn to from the time they were kids to now.

And he wanted nothing more than to see her happy for the rest of their lives.

"You just going to stand there starring at me all morning? Or are you going to join me for breakfest?" JD blinked, coming out of his thoughts and finding Jodie facing him with two warm plates waiting on the counter.

"Can't fault a guy for enjoying the sight of his sexy girlfriend." was his reply as he closed the distance between them and sweapt her up in a deep kiss. "And I can't help but have a bit of an appitite after the night we had." he added playfully when they pulled apart.

Jodie rolled her eyes and smiled, "Well then, we better dig in while it's still warm."

Breakfest had been quick for the couple, afterward they ended up heading back to bed and just laying curled up together under the sheets. Enjoying the quiet as the morning slowly drifted into the afternoon.

"You know we will have to get up eventually." JD said, lazily running his hand through Jodie's hair.

The brunette hummed into his chest, but made no effort to actually say anything, perfectly content with where they were at the moment. And the psionic was more than happy to agree as he pulled her a little closer and settled into a half-asleep state.

One that was broken when the loud ring of his cell phone shattered their little aura of peace.

 _"Someone had better be dead!"_ JD ranted in his mind as Jodie sat up allowing him to reach for his phone to see who was calling. "The hell does Ryan want?" he groaned before answering. "Vattic here."

 _'JD, sorry to bug you so early but we got a situation. You and Jodie need to come in.'_ said the older agent on the other end.

"You do realize that we both just got back from separate assignments, right?" the psionic asked back, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "One of which you were on yourself."

 _'This comes from the top, I'm just a messenger.'_ Ryan replied, _'I can't tell you much over the phone, since this isn't a secured line, but I can say that this is top priority. Both of you were asked for specifically.'_

Turning to Jodie who was giving him a questioning look, JD made the fingers of his free hand to a gun and put it to his head, then pulling the imaginary trigger. "When do we have to be there?" he asked, knowing they were pretty much being ordered.

 _'The sooner the better, see you and Jodie when you arrive.'_ the call ended there. The psionic tossed his phone unceremoniously onto the bed and rubbed his face.

"Let me guess, the CIA needs us?" Jodie asked, already knowing the answer as JD nodded. "Dammit. We can't even get one day."

"The bastards seriously owe us vacation time for all this bullshit." the psionic growled into his palms. Breathing out another sigh, he looked to his lover and gave a humorless smile, "Well, shall we get this damn crazy train rolling again?"

Jodie nodded with a sigh of her own, "Better get ready then." she said standing and heading for the bathroom. "I'm grabbing a shower," stripping off JD's shirt, exposing her bare backside to him before sending him a smirk over her shoulder, "Wanna join me? Save time?"

She disappeared into the next room, and JD had a feeling 'saving time' would be the last thing they would be doing in the next few minutes. Shaking his head so that he could think straight again, the psionic got out of bed for the second time.

Picking up his phone and putting it back on the nightstand, pausing for a moment to pull the top drawer open and reaching into the far back to take out what he had hidden there.

Taking his hand out to reveal a small, black velvet box. Opening the lid to show the sparkling diamond ring set inside. A warm smile filling his face as he looked it over for what felt like the thousandth time.

 _"...Soon."_ he thought confidently, closing the lid of the box and putting it back in its hiding place before heading to the bathroom to join Jodie.


	13. 12) Somalia Pt1

_**As it turned out, the mission that Jodie and I had been assigned to really was a big one.**_

 _ **Apparently there was a warlord operating out of Somalia who was wreaking havoc on the locals and using his militia to prevent any form of aid service from the US from getting into the country. And anyone going in to work something out with him was never heard from again...**_

 _ **Needless to say, the CIA higher-ups called us in to help deal with the situation. So we were on our way to Africa that night.**_

 _ **I was still pretty pissed that mine and Jodie's alone time was cut into, but duty calls, I suppose. And helping people out in Africa sounded like a good cause, so there wasn't much for me to complain about...**_

 _ **...but, for some reason, during the flight there, I got a bad feeling.**_

 _ **Something just felt...off. Like the CIA wasn't telling us everything, but I had nothing to back it up. And after we landed, the bad feeling just got worse, a nagging feeling that I just couldn't help shake.**_

 _ **Though for the sake of the mission I stomped down hard on it to focus on what Jodie and I needed to do.**_

 _ **...If only I had known at the time that my 'bad feeling' would end up meaning a whole lot more than I first thought...**_

 **X**

The humid African air reminded JD vaguely of Brazil, but he knew deep down that the temperature could get a lot warmer than what it was at the moment. Thankfully, the sun had yet to come up, which granted everyone at the small Forward Operating Base outside of Somalia some time before the sweltering heat really set in.

Sitting at a small foldout table beside Jodie, a map of the town they would soon be infiltrating spread out before them with Ryan standing on the other side as he started the briefing.

"Gemaal Sheik Charrief," he said tossing down a picture of the man in question infront of the younger agents. "One of the most dangerous warlords in the country. He commands a heavily armed militia, using it to control several important districts in the city. Which means none of our humanitarian aid is getting through."

Jodie picked up the image of the warlord and passed it to JD, logging the man's face to memory. "So, what's the objective?" asked the psionic.

"Find Gemaal, and eliminate him." Ryan replied simply. "He relocates twice a day. Last time we pinpointed him was at the Zenakhi Hotel...which is right here." he added, pointing at a circled area on the map between them. "Not much of a chance he's still there, but it's as good as place as any to start looking."

Jodie took a sip from a nearby coffee mug before looking at a picture of the hotel the older agent was telling them about. "What kind of support will we have?" she asked setting the photo back down.

Ryan sighed and rested his hands on the table, "You two will be on your own on this mission. No direct engagement with the enemy. No back up. You identify and eliminate your target, then activate your GPS beacons so we can extract you. We need to get you out before sunrise tomorrow, so don't waste time."

"The last American soldier that was captured here was pulled through the city behind a jeep. They found his head, and one of his legs in a fishing boat a few days later." the older agent said grimly.

"So in translation...don't get spotted and don't get captured." said JD, both of them getting the full gravity of a mission failure as they stood up.

"We'll be in and out before they realize what's happened." said Jodie.

Nodding, Ryan let them go to get their gear ready. The couple making their way through the FOB to another tent where the equipment was stored. JD heading for a crate in the corner and opening it up, finding an array of rifles and submachine guns lined neatly inside.

Picking up a P90 combact assault rifle, he checked the weapon thoroughly for a couple minutes before moving it over to a small table with a few smaller boxes ontop of it. Finding a reflex holographic scope and a silencer in said boxes that he started attaching to the gun.

Jodie had taken out the tactical vest she would be wearing and slipping various things into the right pockets and pouches. Looking over her shoulder at her lover, seeing him putting his weapon together with intense focus.

Knowing him as long as she had, she knew when he was deep in thought. Whether he was sitting alone and starring off into space, or when he was working out. It was the unblinking look in his eyes, his body moved almost mechanically but his mind was elsewhere.

Setting her vest down, Jodie took the few steps that separated them and put a hand on his shoulder. "JD?"

The psionic stopped what he was doing, blinking a moment before turning to regard her. "What's up, babe?" he asked, trying to hide the fact he was thinking so hard...It didn't work.

"I should be asking you that question. You were lost in your head again." the brunette saw him about to deny it and cut him off at the pass. "And don't try to BS your way out of it, I know you too well."

JD sighed, knowing full well she had him pegged. "It's...I've just had this rough feeling since we got here. I can't explain it. But with this mission, and what Ryan was telling us what happened to the last guy who went out there..." he ran a hand over his head before turning to face her fully. "I don't know...I just, I don't want anything to happen..."

Jodie reached up and held his face in her hands, "Hey. We're going to be fine. We'll get in there, deal with the warlord, get out, and be back at home before we know it." she leaned up and gave him a soft kiss as if to prove her point. "Don't worry, as long as we have each other's backs everything will be okay. You and me against the world."

The psionic grinned back at her, "You and me against the world." they shared another kiss before going back to getting their gear together for the mission. They had a long night ahead of them.

 **X**

In the dead of night, the black hawk thrummed loudly as it flew over the river surrounding the small city. On board in the troop compartment, JD looked out at the passing landscape as their destination drew closer and closer.

Dressed in a similar outfit like he had in Brazil, save for the balaclava which he instead exchanged for black face paint with a white face painted skull overlapping it.

Jodie was suited up like he was, her long hair done up in a tight bun to keep it out of the way with a few black streaks running along her face. Her only weapons being a 1911 pistol and a knife, while the psionic had the silenced P90 and an M9 pistol. Considering that they were to be on an infiltration/assassination op, it was an ideal loadout for the both of them.

So long as they didn't get found out.

"This is your drop!" Ryan called out over the copter's engines as it hovered above the water. "Good luck you two!"

The duo nodded to him, JD jumping out first, feet together as he broke the surface of the water and disappeared into the depths. Jodie right behind him a couple feet to the left. The older agent watched the water briefly before signalling to the pilot to take off.

Just as the transport was out of sight, JD and Jodie breached a few meters from shore. Taking in healthy breaths of air as they waded through the waste-deep waters the rest of the way.

When their boots touched the sand, they immediately crouched low to limit their visibility. The psionic unsling his rifle and scanned around them while Jodie sent out Aiden to do a more detailed check for any soldiers that could be nearby.

After a moment or two, the entity came back and reported his findings. Jodie tapped JD on the arm and motioned toward the building ahead of them, then held up two fingers signaling that there were two guards stationed outside.

Nodding, the psionic moved forward, the brunette on his heels with every step as they crouched behind one of several concrete barricades surrounding the front of the building. One of the guards was pacing just behind their cover, unaware that he was being watched.

Slinging the P90 over his shoulder, JD waited for the man to get a couple feet away before jumping over the barricade. Creeping up behind his target and wrapping an arm around his neck, his other hand slapping over his mouth to cover his surprised yelp as he applied enough pressure until the man went slack.

Laying the knocked out guard down, the psionic motioned ahead. Jodie moved around the barricade and ran quietly into the building, pressing her back to the wall beside a flight of stairs. Sending out Aiden again, the entity located the other guard they had spotted just as he reached the top of the steps.

The guard was picked up off the ground, making loud choking sounds while kicking at the air before going still. His body dropping to the ground right afterward.

JD moved up beside Jodie as she turned to him and nodded the go ahead. Rifle back in hand, the psionic went up the stairs first. Moving around the body of the second guard and scanned the second floor before signalling the all clear.

The duo made their way toward the back where the crumbling remains of a balcony opened up to the quiet street below. Pausing a moment, JD pulled a small pair of binoculars and peered through them into the distance.

To the North-East, roughly a couple clicks from their location, he could make out the hotel Ryan informed them about where the target was last seen.

Handing Jodie the binoculars, he pointed to where he had been looking. She put them up to her eyes she saw what he had, nodding in comfirmation while handing them back to him and pointing to the broken opening in the balcony.

Jumping down into the street, checking the immediate area for signs of life, they started moving toward the road...quickly ducking down behind a dumpster when a truck suddenly drove by, and waiting a minute before moving again. Ducking down an alley and crawling along the ground to avoid being seen by an armed group sitting around a fire.

Reaching another barricade, JD saw another guard heading in their direction. He tapped Jodie on the arm and motioned toward where the man was coming, listening to the footsteps as he held up five fingers.

Jodie braced herself as he started counting down...when he made a fist she quickly stood, surprising the man as she grabbed his rifle, smashing him in the face with it before grabbing the back of his head and slamming it down onto the top of the barricade.

With the threat down, the couple started moving again. Crossing the street and stopping beside a building when they heard shouting in the street beyond. Hands tight on his rifle, JD leaned out and saw two militia soldiers knock another man to the ground, the man's words were lost on him, but with the way he was speaking to the other two sounded a lot like pleading as they stood over him.

Feeling Jodie tapping him on the arm, he turned to see the questioning look on her face and started making handsigns like they had been taught at the academy.

'Two Hostiles. One Civilian. Civilian In Danger.'

She understood right away and closed her eyes. Connecting with Aiden and heading out to where the disturbance was. Getting a good look at the situation before having the entity quickly possess the armed gunman farthest away.

Now in control of the man, she had Aiden execute the other soldier before having the one he was possessing turn the weapon on himself.

Both men down, and the civilian out of danger, they broke from cover and continued on their trek. Doing their best to avoid the active street lights and sticking to the shadows, crossing the remaining distance to the Zenakhi Hotel with little to no trouble.

Waiting for a couple men to load up into a waiting truck and drive off, the duo entered the hotel. JD used TK to knock out a guard standing not too far away from the entrance before they went up the stairs to the next floor. Finding it devoid of anybody.

If anyone had been there, they had moved on.

Deciding to check the area for any signs or clues as to who was there or where they could have gone, the couple split up and started looking. Jodie taking the space right above where they had come in while JD went to the other side of the floor.

The young woman looked at a few discarded items scattered along the ground...then she saw what looked like a bloody shirt laying a few feet away. Crouching down, she saw that it was actually the top half of a set of combat fatigues. She could also feel a slight buzz emitting from the piece of clothing, telling her that she could connect to the last moments of the one who had worn it.

 _"Alright, Aiden. Let's do it."_ she thought to the entity, the two of them reaching out and connecting to the object;

 _A wounded man laid against a wall, clutching at his wounded stomach. His painfilled gaze turning to one of the windows and looking out toward a broken building that was visible outside._

Coming back to reality, Jodie stood up and turned to where the man in the vision had been looking and found the building he'd last seen.

Doing another search, she found another vision point on the table close to the bloodied shirt. In it, she saw Gemaal speaking with two other men while pointing out parts of a map laid out between them.

The man had been there, recently, and the best bet at finding him again would be the ruined cathedral that couldn't have been more than a couple blocks away.

JD came over to her, having come up empty in his search, and she started signing to him her findings;

'Target Was Here. Moved On.' she then pointed to the cathedral before continuing. 'Possible Location.'

Giving her a thumbs up, the psionic motioned to the railing near the table. Vaulting over it, he landed with a roll and ended in a crouch on the edge of the street below. Jodie jumping down behind him before they crossed to the other side and went into cover.

A militia soldier patrolled along a set of barricades, a handful more milling about around a barrel fire on the other side of a vacant lot. Dealing with the guard had been simple, the duo moved along the barricades, covering one another until they reached the side of a building with a ladder.

Jodie went up first. JD keeping watch until she was on the roof before going up himself while she went up another, finding another man standing watch on the edge of the rooftop.

Creeping up behind him, she jumped up onto his back, legs going around his waist as she covered his mouth with both arms firmly wrapped around his neck. When he was brought down, she quickly twisted left, breaking his neck and ending his struggling.

JD had just come up to the top level when Jodie had finished the guard. Helping her out from beneath the corpse, they started to slowly make their way across the connected rooftops. Finding dozens more militia scattered about below in the midst of activity.

Some were checking weapons, others were drinking, there had even been a small group executing three men who had bags over their heads. It only made the tension in the air that much more visible as they pressed on.

Jumping down onto an unsuspecting soldier beneath an open hole of a ruined building's upper floor. JD stomped his heel on the back of his neck to be sure he stayed down before crouching down behind a pillar, signalling to Jodie the all clear, she came down next, moving up beside him as they watched another soldier moving amongst the remains of another structure across from them.

Jodie slipped out of cover and crossed the distance quickly and quietly, taking the man out fast and giving them the opening to keep moving. Traversing down a series of back allys, avoiding several patrols and taking down anybody that stood in the way.

After some time, they arrived at the cathedral. Slipping into the courtyard surrounding it and taking cover while a group of soldiers patrolled the grounds.

Jodie looked around them from her hidden position, trying to locate where the man in her vision had looked at the building and finding one that roughly fit the description a few meters away.

Silently signalling JD, she pointed to the building and he immediately got what she was referring to. A truck pulled up outside of the building and picked up a few of the soldiers before driving away, one remained at the door standing watch. The psionic wasted no time using his TK to grab the man and bringing him over to his hiding place, breaking his neck and hiding his body before the duo sprinted to the open doorway he had been guarding.

Once inside, Jodie motioned that she could feel several vision-points. JD nodded and stood watch at the door while she went to work gathering information. Minutes ticking by as she went from one vision to another.

The psionic checked his watch, the sun would be coming up soon, after that, if they weren't gone, the whole city would be right on top of them.

His thoughts were broken by movement outside. Ducking into cover, he peered out and saw two men approaching the building, talking amongst themselves as they drew near. JD took slow, calm breaths, waiting for the right moment.

The first man stepped through the doorless opening, then the second following a second later, that's when he struck.

Grabbing the second soldier by the neck, he smashed his face hard into a nearby wall. The sound attracted the first, who went for his gun only to be thrown back by a psi-blast that sent him. A muffled chirp from the silenced P90 all that was needed to ensure he didn't get back up.

Jodie came out, eyes wide as she surveyed what had happened before looking at JD. The psionic gave her the 'OK' sign in response, easing her anxiety.

With no one else in the courtyard, they crossed it quickly and entered the ruins of the once holy building. Remaining vigilant as well as silent as they went through to the other side and hopping down to street level again.

A sudden sound made them pause. A sharp gasp, followed by whimpers that came from somewhere closeby.

Weapon ready, JD creeped along the wall facing the cathedral until he reached the corner. Finger firm on the trigger as he rolled around the corner and took aim...at a child.

A little boy, not older than 10 or 11, laid on the ground. Blood oozing from a wound on his right leg that looked to have been caused by a bullet. He looked up, and despite his pain, managed to raise an AK-47 with one hand at the psionic, saying something in his native tongue he couldn't understand.

"...Easy, little buddy." JD whispered loud enough for the boy to hear him. Lowering his weapon, then holding his hands up in as a sign of not being dangerous. Jodie came around the corner and gasped, the boy aiming his weapon at her as well, obviously scared as well as hurt.

"We're not the bad guys." JD continued , pointing at the boy's wound. "You're hurt, we can help. Just don't shoot us...okay?"

He wasn't sure if the boy understood english, or if he understood their body language, either way he lowered the rifle and dropped it on the ground. Placing both tiny hands on his leg to stop the bleeding.

WIth the weapon put down, Jodie moved ahead and kneeled beside the child. "Everything's going to be okay." she said encouragingly. Holding her hands out, she and Aiden worked together to heal his injury. The wound sealing up and vanishing right before his young eyes.

He stood up, in shock, as he started walking around on his now healed leg. His foreign words coming out faster, excited, and full of wonder and awe as he turned and looked at the couple. He said a lot more, but neither of them could make out anything.

"Sorry, buddy. We don't understand." said JD, shaking his head.

The boy touched his chest with his hand, "Salim...Salim..." he said a bit slower for them.

"You're name is 'Salim'?" asked Jodie, getting a nod from the boy. "I'm Jodie. JO-DIE. And this is JD." she said, introducing them.

Salim looked between them, "Jo...dee. Ja...de..." he said, testing the names with his own tongue.

"You got it." the psionic said smiling...the light happiness of the situation melting fast when the sound of a truck coming down the road grabbed their attention. "Oh shit! Jodie, we got company!" he said lowly just as a .50cal mounted technical pulled up on the other side of the debris strewn courtyard beside them.

Three men piled out and split up amongst the various forms of cover and started shooting at the trio as the quickly got behind a low wall.

JD brought his rifle up, leaning out just as one of the soldiers was doing the same from his own position and put a quick burst of rounds into him before he could shoot first. Taking a quick look at rest of their opposition and where they were stationed before slipping back into cover.

"They got a .50 on their six with a shooter mounting it. Two others still on the field; one at three, and the other at 11." he reported.

Jodie nodded, her own weapon in hand with Salim crouched down next to her with his rifle held tightly as she mentally called upon Aiden to help them.

The entity extended out along his connection to the brunette, weaving through the courtyard, choking out one of the soldiers then having a weak wall collapse onto another before moving onto the truck.

JD broke from cover and rolled behind another wall, now having a clear view of the technical that was firing on their location. The driver used the door as cover as he aimed his rifle and fired at the psionic, forcing him farther behind the wall to avoid getting hit.

The soldier stopped to reload, but the moment he finished he convulsed wildly as Aiden took control of him. Taking the rifle in his hands, he turned and killed the turret gunner, giving JD the opening to kill the body he possessed.

With the threats neutralized, Jodie turned to Salim, "Come on, we need to get moving before more show up." the body seemed to understand her as he slung his rifle over his shoulder and jogged over to where JD was standing. She went to follow, when something slammed into her back sending her crashing to the dirt.

Flipping over, Jodie gasped when she found another soldier glaring down at her, a machete in hand held high ready to cleave into her.

Getting to her feet, she ran forward and ducked under the sharp swing. Quickly dodging a series of follow up swings until her back hit a wall. Seeing a chance, the soldier swung downward again...only to hit the wall as Jodie dropped down and rolled to the side, picking up a stray brick and hitting him hard across the face with it.

Staggered, the man went to swing again and was met with a kick to the knee that dropped him to a kneeling position. Jodie used the chance to back away, drawing her sidearm and firing two shots into the soldier's chest.

"You good?" JD asked, jogging up with Salim beside him.

Jodie nodded, holstering her pistol and taking a few deep breaths, "Yeah, I'm good." she looked up, taking notice that things were getting brighter compared to before. "The sun's rising. It's gonna be hard to not be seen now."

"Then we better get moving." said the psionic, checking the ammo left in his weapon's clip. "Where's our heading?"

"That tower over there." said Jodie pointing at the tall, needle-like structure in the distance.

Salim said something to her while pointing at the tower questioningly.

"That's where we need to go," she replied to him.

The boy grinned and nodded, motioning with his hand as he moved forward. "I think he's telling us he knows the way." said JD, getting more nods and excited chatter from Salim as he kept pointing at their destination.

Looking to one another, Jodie shrugged, "What have we got to lose?"

With the sun steadily ascending over the horizon, the couple followed after their young guide into the city that had started to come alive with gunfire and explosions echoing around them. Both hoping for a quick end to this assignment before something else happened.


	14. 13) Somalia Pt2

Despite the sun being up, and visibility all but definite, it seemed that the various factions within the city limits where more than happy with killing each other than to notice two Americans and one little boy slipping through the battlefield.

Traversing down alley's and going through a few buildings to avoid being seen by patrols. Jodie was in front, Salim behind her with JD bringing up the rear watching their backs. The sporadic sounds of gunfire and the occasional explosion followed swiftly by the screams of the dying keeping their senses on high alert as they did their best to keep out of sight.

Stepping out into the burning sunlight, the trio ducked down behind the crumbling wall of another building just as a group of men were cut down my machine gun fire at the four-way intersection ahead.

After checking to be sure there was no one else in the immediate area, they moved up. Pressing close to the wall allowing Jodie to peer down the next street, finding two technicals at the far end that were being manned.

"Dammit." she muttered, looking across from them and seeing a ladder that would take them to the rooftops above. "Two turrets at the end. That ladder should keep us out of the line of fire, but we have to risk crossing the road." she explained to JD.

The psionic moved up next to her and checked their opposition, then looked to where the ladder was located. Seeing no other options open to them.

"You and Salim go first, I'll cover you." he said, getting a hesitant nod from Jodie as she looked at the boy traveling with them.

"Stay close, ok?" Salim nodded, both of them getting ready before sprinting out into the open.

Aiden flared, forming a barrier around the duo to protect them from stray rounds while JD fired on the turrets, drawing the gunfire his way until Jodie and Salim were safely on the other side.

When he was sure they were out of harms way. The psionic reloaded his P90 before reaching out with TK toward a rundown metal shack. One of the walls coming loose and coming over to hover infront of him like a shield before he too ran out into the street.

The metal ping of rounds peppering the makeshift barrier vibrated through the air, but the metal held firm as he made it across and dropped it to the ground.

Salim chatted, excitedly waving his hand to the now heavily dented metal wall and JD. "Magic." the psionic replied to the possible questions the boy had while flexing the fingers of his hand.

"Ma...gik?" Salim asked confused.

"Yeah, magic." Jodie agreed, turning her attention to the broken ladder before bending down and cupping her hands. "Come on, Salim. Up you go." the boy stepped in her hands, using her shoulders for support as she lifted him up so that he could grab a rung and start climbing.

JD came up next, shouldering his rifle and cupping his own hands to allow Jodie to go up after Salim. When they were about halfway up the ladder, he took a couple steps back before running forward. Kicking off the wall of the building, grabbing onto the ladder and making his own way up to the roof.

A couple black hawks flew overhead as the trio treaded along the connected rooftops.

Farther up the street on their right, an RPG was fired and destroyed the two trucks that had given them trouble a minute before. The fighting around the city steadily getting worse the farther in they went.

Getting back down to street-level, they immediately cut through a building and then a small playground, coming out the otherside and peeking out into the next road.

A couple meters away was a truck, two soldiers milling around near the tailgate talking to one another. The tower they needed to get to was directly ahead.

JD stepped out, grabbing both men with TK and slamming their heads together before tossing them to opposite sides of the street. Aiden quickly swooped in and possessed the driver before he could get out. Now in control, he started the vehicle and waited as the three humans piled into the bed, laying down flat to avoid being seen as the entity drove them toward the tower.

They went passed several patrols and vehicles that went the opposite direction. Surrounded by enemies on all sides and doing the best they could to keep from being spotted. Jodie covered Salim, while JD laid on the opposite side, his weapon within reach incase he needed to use it.

Everything had been going good thus far, until they came up to a roadblock.

Aiden pulled to a stop, one of the guards coming up to the window and asking him something he couldn't understand. When he didn't answer, the soldier started to sound more hostile, his rifle being raised and leveled at the possessed body's head in obvious threat.

Seeing no other choice, the entity did the only thing he could...he slammed the accelerator and broke through the roadblock and barreling down the road.

"Shit Aiden!" Jodie shouted, "What the fuck are you doing?! The whole town will be on us now!"

Within moments, five other trucks sped up to them. JD was up quickly and fired his rifle at the windshield of the closest vehicle. HItting the driver and sending it crashing into a lamp post off to the side.

Another one came up on their right, one of the men on board pulled out a machete and jumped into the bed of theirs. Jodie quickly blocked a swing aimed at JD's side, grabbing the soldier's arm and twisting it back before kicking him in the stomach and hitting his head off the cab of the truck.

Throwing the soldier to the back of the bed, Jodie brought her leg up and kicked him off, his body rolling under one of the other trucks chasing after them.

Another soldier from the same vehicle as the last one went to jump aboard as well, but a salvo of rounds cut into him before he even had a chance. His body toppling over the side as JD cocked his other hand back and threw a psi-blast into the side of the technical, crushing the side of it inward like a tin can and sending it into the front of a building.

Two down, three to go. The leading technical had a mounted .50cal that was being aimed at them and was the biggest threat. The psionic held his hand out, extending his powers to the vehicle and grabbing onto the first thing he could think of.

With a hard yank, the truck's front axel was ripped out from under it. The speed it was going, in addition to its front end suddenly dropping, sent the vehicle pitching forward before flipping over and landing with a hard crash on its roof, sliding down the street a few meters before coming to rest and forcing the remaining two to go around it.

Jodie turned her attention from what was behind them when Aiden told her someone was ahead. "Oh fuck!" she cursed when she saw a soldier kneeling in the middle of the road with an RPG on his shoulder.

The rocket was fired and flew straight toward their truck as it swirved to avoid the blast when it hit the ground. The vehicle spun to the right, then the left before it flipped, rolling over several times before crashing against a building with a firey explosion.

The militia that had been following them pulled up to the crash site, piling out with rifles ready as they surrounded the overturned truck. Searching for survivors...

...but they found nothing save for the dead driver.

 **X**

JD looked to the trail of smoke where the truck had crashed as they stopped to catch their breath after running so far. "I don't think they saw us." he said leaning against a nearby wall.

Jodie put her hands on her knees, taking in deep gulps of oxygen with Salim beside her, "I don't think so either." she turned her attention to the boy next to her, "You okay, Salim?"

The boy nodded and said something in confirmation.

When the were able to catch their breath, the couple glanced at one another, a silent agreement passing through them as Jodie knelt down to Salim's level. "This is where we have to go our separate ways," Salim looked at her confused, "We-Must-Go..." she explained slowly, "Do you understand, Salim?"

Salim shook his head, saying something that could have been a form of reasoning. "You can't come with us, buddy." JD said, kneeling down next to Jodie. "You're a brave kid, but it's too dangerous for you to stick with us. And hopefully, all this crap will be over, and no one else will be hurt again."

Looking between them, the boy said something softly before stepping forward and hugging Jodie. Backing away after a moment then hugging JD as well. "Take care of yourself, and be safe." Jodie whispered. Salim smiled at them before running off in another direction.

"He'll be alright." said the psionic, putting a hand on his lover's shoulder when he saw the worry in her eyes. "He's a strong kid."

Nodding to him, Jodie and JD both took a moment to check their gear to be sure everything was in place when they managed to escape before the crash.

JD's P90 was lost in the crash, leaving him with only his M9. But with the tower so close, it would be all he needed to help finish the mission.

Once everything was checked and cleared, the duo started moving. Once again keeping to back alley's and staying out of the streets as much as possible. Only having to take out a couple of soldiers along the way before they found themselves outside where the tower was set up.

A small fortress in the middle of the city, well guarded and fortified. If Gemaal wasn't in there it would be a shock.

The couple moved into a small house outside of the fortress, hunkering down as Jodie prepared to send out Aiden to scout ahead of them. JD drew his sidearm and stood watch as the entity stretched out and fazed into the building.

Dozens of soldiers were on duty, and in the main building on the ground floor was Gemaal, seated at the head of a table with several other men with him as he spoke.

"There's too many of them." Jodie said, seeing what Aiden was seeing as he looked around. "There's no way we could get to him without being killed."

"Suggestions?" JD asked, watching a truck drive by with sharp eyes.

"Aiden's going to have to do it, it's too risky otherwise." she replied. Sending the mental command to the entity before he possessed one of the guards on duty. Having him walk into the room, Jodie hesitated, which had Aiden hesitate as she fought against her own morals on following the orders given to them...

In the end, she made the final decision and gave the entity the go ahead. Gunfire erupted throughout the building along with surprised shouts that carried all the way to where the couple was stationed.

Jodie closed her eyes and breathed slowly when it went quiet, "It's...It's done. Come on, Aiden's got the door, we need to confirm the kill."

JD nodded as they checked for any nearby soldiers before running across the street. The small door that had just been blown off its hinges courtesy of Aiden, making their way into the building where the warlord had been meeting with the others in his inner circle.

The place was a slaughter house. Bodies of the dozens or so soldiers lay scattered everywhere, blood splattered on every surface with the smell of gunpowder heavy in the air.

"...fuck." the psionic muttered, his boots stepping on spent shell casings as he crossed the room.

Jodie turned pale, shivering before leaning to the side and throwing up on the floor. JD went over and rubbed her back, doing his best to comfort her.

"I'm...I'm good." she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "I'm good." she repeated before making her way to where the body of Gemaal Sheik Charrief. Jodie took out the small digital camera from her vest pocket and snapped a picture of his face, taking a couple others to be sure they had everything they needed.

"Got it." she said standing back up. JD looked at the images and nodded, movement by the door having him bring his pistol to bare...only to freeze when he saw a familiar boy standing in the threshold.

"Salim?" he asked surprised.

The boy didn't respond to him, instead stepping into the building and looking at the carnage around him. His eyes trailed to a body on the floor and he gasped, "Papi!" he exclaimed, running over and dropping to his knees beside one of the soldiers. "Papi! Papi!" he cried, tears running down his face when the man didn't respond. 

_"...Papi?"_ JD thought, then it hit him like a hard punch to the gut, _"No! Please don't tell me..."_

"Oh god..." he turned to Jodie who had her mouth covered. "Th-That's the one Aiden possessed...he was Salim's father."

Salim looked up at them, tears streaking down his dark-colored face that changed from broken to enraged. He picked up his father's sidearm and aimed it at the couple, shouting at them with obvious anger and hurt at what had happened.

Aiden reacted fast, forming a barrier around Jodie and JD as the boy fired. The bullets hitting the invisible bubble and keeping them safe until the gun ran out of ammo.

Throwing the weapon at them, Salim went back to crying over his father's body, hugging him as if it would bring him back.

JD tore his eyes from the heartbreaking scene, fighting back tears of his own as he looked to Jodie who was crying silently. The full weight of what had been done...what _they_ had done...hitting her hard.

Putting a hand on her arm, snapping her gaze toward him, he motioned to the door. Silently messaging that they needed to leave. Together they made toward the exit...but Jodie stopped, turning back to the crying boy and reaching out to touch his shoulder.

Salim shrugged her off and yelled at her, making her stumble back as he continued to grieve. With heavy hearts, they left the building and prepared to leave the fortress...but they stopped when they heard the sounds of yelling and gunfire echoing throughout the area.

"Oh shit..." Jodie said, fear lacing her voice as they realized that the incident had drawn the attention of every soldier within hearing distance.

"Come on, we need to get the fuck out of here!" JD said, his own tone anxious while pulling her out into the street...only to be a met with a wall of armed men who were converging on the building from the North.

When they saw the couple, all hell broke loose.

"JODIE RUN!" the psionic bellowed, they turned and sprinted the opposite way. Skidding to a stop when even more people were heading their way. "Fuck! We gotta-" he was cut off when bullets started peppering around them.

Jodie suddenly yelped and collapsed to the ground, blood dripping down the back of her leg from the bullet wound that was punched through her.

"Jodie!" JD stopped cold and quickly helped her up, half-carrying and half-dragging her out of the line of fire and into the nearest alley. A truck pulled up, blocking their way as the men inside started piling out, the psionic brought up his pistol with his free arm and fired. Killing two of them and wounding a third as he changed direction and kicked open a nearby door, pulling Jodie inside and slamming it shut behind him.

Setting his lover down, the psionic used his TK to grab every piece of furniture in the small room and barricaded the door just as the rioting crowd outside started hammering on their shelter.

"Eagle 5! Requesting immediate extraction! Do you read?!" Jodie shouted into her radio, her other hand pressing against her wounded leg as she fought against the pain. "Confirm extraction!"

Bullets shattered a nearby window, the slugs hitting the walls in the building. JD fired through the opening, hitting a couple more soldiers until his weapon ran empty, dropping down to reload.

Holes punched through the walls, light spilling in through them as the building became surrounded on all sides. The situation was deteriorating fast, Jodie kept trying the radio but couldn't seem to get through to anyone.

Aiden had just finished healing her leg when she gave up and threw the radio away. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck it! FUCK!" she screamed, starting to breakdown from what was happening around them. "They aren't answering! We're not getting out of here! We're dead! We're-"

Her rant was stopped when JD grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up, pressing her against the wall behind her and making her look him dead in the eye.

"Get ahold of yourself, Jodie!" he all but screamed in her face. "We are NOT gonna die! We ARE getting out of here! No matter what!"

She looked at him, terror clouding her mind as she shook in his grasp. "H-How?! HOW! JD, you know what they'll do when they catch us! How are we going to get out of this?!"

Instead of replying, he pulled her into a bruising kiss. Despite bullets flying around them, despite torture and death literally knocking at the door, he forced what emotions he could spare through the contact alone.

Pulling back, the psionic looked into her eyes again, which now appeared clearer than they had before. "Do you trust me?"

Jodie nodded. The effects of the kiss they had along with the conviction in his gaze washing away a bit of the fear that had corrupted her mind.

JD turned to the open room, eyes flickering around for anything that could help them when he saw the trapdoor in the ceiling. The end piece of a ladder could be seen peeking over the edge which gave him the opening they would need.

Using TK to bring the ladder down, he motioned to Jodie who had gotten up. She went up the steps first just as the door they had come through started to crack from all of the people outside slamming into it. The psionic made it up right after his lover just as the entrance broke open and soldiers poured inside.

Kicking the ladder down, JD looked around them before gunfire rained down onto the roof. Bringing up his M9, he fired at the surrounding rooftops. Taking out several gunmen...but more kept coming.

Jodie had dragged herself to the far corner of the roof behind a small wall of sandbags, her leg may have been healed but the pain still present while the psionic backed up, shielding her from the coming tide of enemies.

Snapping his hand back, Jodie's 1911 flew into his other hand as he started duel-firing at the soldiers that were now coming up the sides of the building. He kept shooting until both weapons were empty, dropping them to the ground then started throwing psi-blasts.

Men were sent flying from the roof in all directions, but more kept coming to take their place. A stray round flew by and hit JD's shoulder, pain erupting through his body as another grazed his side, but he managed to keep up the attacks, doing all in his power to keep the militia at bay.

Even when the constant use of his powers was starting to take its toll on him, his nose starting to bleed and his head feeling light, yet he refused to stop. He had to keep fighting, he had to! They could do whatever they wanted to him, but it would be a cold day in hell they would lay a single finger on Jodie.

 _"Not a chance in Hell!"_ the psionic raged in his mind. His eyes and body glowing with blue-ethreal fire as the power within him began to build. The attacking soldiers stopped advancing, the sight before them making them pause as the American stood like a vengeful spirit from the afterlife.

"You're not getting anywhere near her!" JD roared as the power building in him exploded outward in a large shockwave.

Every soldier on the rooftop, along with those surrounding it, were thrown off from the force of the psionic attack. Even those down in the street were knocked down from the power behind it. Buildings close to the epicenter shook and cracked, debris blowing off and scattering to the wind.

The only one unaffected by the blast was Jodie, who stared at JD with wide eyes. The feeling of his power flowing over her like warm water, shielding her, protecting her, a sharp contrast to the strong impact the militia around was dealt.

When it finally died down, the psionic collapsed to his knees, his eyes rolling back in his head as he fell back unconscious.

"JD!" Jodie shouted, crawling over to him. When he didn't respond to her she immediately checked his pulse, thankful to find a pulse beating gently beneath her fingers.

Her head snapped toward the sky when she heard the telltale signs of choppers approaching. Finding two black hawks coming their way that stopped in the air above them. Ropes coming down with American soldiers right afterward that set up a perimeter on the roof.

Ryan came sliding down soon after, moving over to the couple with a relieved expression. "We're getting you guys outta here." he said, signalling to one of the soldiers who picked up JD in a fireman's carry while the agent scooped up Jodie into his arms. Loading both younger agents onto one of the choppers before they rose up into the air and took off back the way they came.

Onboard, Jodie was quick to move to JD's side as he laid motionless. Holding him close with his head in her lap as they left the city limits and made their way back to the FOB.

She brushed away the blood dripping down to his lip while she stared at his face, the black/white skull facepaint smudged and running from all the sweating he had done.

They made it, they survived, and soon they would be going home...and she couldn't help but smile knowing this despite everything they had gone through.

The psionic groaned softly, making her blink just as his eyes fluttered open. Squinting against the harsh light of the sun that was now almost at its apex in the sky. "Are we...out of the city...?" he asked, his voice sounding dry as he focused on Jodie's face.

"Yeah." Jodie replied, stroking his face gently. "We're going home."

"Good." JD said back as his eyes closed, the dull sound of Ryan calling ahead for medics to be on standby when they arrived as he fell unconscious again.

 **X**

 _ **The mission had been a success.**_

 _ **It took a few days for our wounds to be treated, but with the help of my powers and Aiden's influence Jodie and I were at 100% again in no time. And once we got the all clear, we were on the first plane back to the states**_

 _ **After everything we had went through, both of us wanted nothing more than to head back to our apartment and sleep for a week in each others arms. Then take a long vacation away from everything for another week.**_

 _ **However, like the old saying goes, when it rains it hails. Or, in our case, it becomes a freak rockslide...**_

 **X**

The view from the luxery chopper was a nice one, the Virginian landscape passing below while the moon shined brightly down from above.

Onboard, Jodie and JD sat side by side as they were flown from Fort Benning back to DC. The last couple of days had been filled with resting after the mission, filling out reports and going through several debriefings.

The mission in Somalia had been an overall success, even though they were picked up with about half of the city's militia coming down ontop of them. But the couple was just happy to be alive and back in the states, and more than ready for some well deserved time off.

"Ten years in the CIA, and I've never seen anything like it," Ryan seat from the seat across from them. "The boss sends his own private helicopter to get two agents back. All the top brass are crazy about you two, and Aiden, of course."

Neither one of them said anything, Simply holding the other's hand. Now that there wasn't anything to occupy their thoughts, they started thinking back to everything that they had been through back in the city. The things they had seen, and did, affecting them deeply.

Ryan seemed to take notice of this and spoke up. "JD? Jodie? You guys okay?" when he didn't get an answer he leaned forward and sighed, "Look, I know this mission was tough, but it's over now. We're all going home. Just another 'mission accomplished', right?"

JD sent a look at him while Jodie spoke, "I'll never forget what we saw back there, Ryan. Neither of us will. Ever."

The older agent leaned back in his seat and said nothing more. Everything was silent for a long period before JD couldn't take it anymore. Pressing one of the buttons on the arm of his chair and turning on the small tv attached to the ceiling in the copter and bringing up a news channel;

 _'...And the international community had just announced its official recognition of the election of the new president Gemaal Sheik Charrief...and now, sources report that he and all his government were assassinated in what appears to be an unclaimed attack.'_

JD thought he felt his heart come to a dead stop...ice filling his veins as he sat up ramrod straight as a picture of the man that he and Jodie had dealt with appeared on the screen.

 _'Hopes were high, that the newly recognized President Gemaal Charrief would be able to put an end to the hostilities that have ravaged his country for many years. A number of world leaders have already expressed outrage at what appears to be nothing less than a cold-blooded execution...'_

The air in the chopper became suffocating, the psionic couldn't breathe as the memories of his and Jodie's briefing before the mission came back to him.

 _"Gemaal Sheik Charrief."_

 _"One of the most dangerous warlords in the country."_

 _"Find Gemaal, and eliminate him."_

Looking up at Ryan, he saw the man looking off to the side, avoiding the looks the couple were sending him when the truth was finally revealed.

"YOU LIED TO US!" Jodie screamed, looking as betrayed and sick to her stomach as JD felt.

"What do you mean?" Ryan asked calmly, as if the news report hadn't been heard.

"You...fucking bastard!" JD roared with fire in his eyes, "Gemaal wasn't a warlord! He was the goddamn elected president of the nation!"

"And your point?" the older agent asked pointedly, "We're not politicians. We had our orders."

"You KNEW we wouldn't have murdered him if we knew the truth!" Jodie accused, "So you LIED TO US to get the job done!"

Ryan rolled his eyes, "Welcome to the CIA. It's not fucking choir practice in case you two haven't noticed! Now we had a job to do and we did it. End of story." he said with finality on the subject.

"This might be a fucking job to you! But neither of us go around killing people because some four-fucking-star General tells us to!" Jodie shouted back.

The chopper suddenly started to shutter, weaving back and forth in the air from an unseen force.

"Jodie. Listen, just calm down, alright?" Ryan said, trying to calm her down before something happened. "We'll all get back and talk about it-"

"About what?" JD seethed, standing and getting in the older man's face. "About how you manipulated us?! Used us to do the dirty work you obviously didn't have the balls to do?! Because that's all we are to you and the fucking US government, isn't it?! Assets, expendable assets with superpowers you can exploit whenever you goddamn want! And to fucking hell with how it affects us!"

"What difference does is make?!" Ryan demanded, the chopper shaking more violently now, "He was a dead man walking with or without your help!"

"We have fucking BLOOD on our hands!" screamed Jodie. "Some kid lost his FATHER because of Aiden and me! JD had to kill DOZENS to protect me! Because we TRUSTED you...Because we trusted that we were doing the RIGHT THING!"

The transport started to spin now, the pilot unable to control it while the three arguing in the cabin stumbled to stay upright. "I can't believe we had any faith in you!" JD said over the alarms blaring around them, "I KNEW we couldn't trust you! I KNEW this mission didn't feel right! And I FUCKING KNEW that you would use us like this eventually!"

His face then became a mask of grave calm. "...Never again."

Without warning, JD threw a psi-blast into Ryan. The agent flew into the wall across from them. He turned to Jodie who nodded seriously as she grabbed the handle in the door behind them and shoved it open. The wind whipped into the cabin for a second before the duo grabbed each other's hand and jumped.

Ryan groaned from the attack he'd been hit with, but sat up in time to see the couple jump outside. "NO!" he shouted, scrambling to the open door and looking for any sign of them. But only saw the dark trees below. "FUCK!"

 **X**

In his office at the DPA, Nathan Dawkins had just finished his latest report when the phone on his desk started ringing.

Looking at the clock on the wall, he wondered who would be calling him at such a late hour when he picked it up and answered. "Nathan Dawkins."

At first he didn't hear anything, save for soft sobbing on the other end...then he heard a voice he really hadn't been expecting.

 _'They used us...They used us to kill those people..."_

Nathan was on his feet in half a second, "Jodie! What happened?"

 _'W-We didn't know...We didn't know...We...We were just doing what we were told...'_ Jodie's voice stuttered over the line, broken by the occasional gasp and sob.

"Where are you? Is JD with you? Is Clayton?" the professor asked, terrified about what was going on with the two kids who were like children to him.

There was a pause before JD's calmer voice came on, _'That asshole isn't with us, Nathan...We feld from the CIA. They used us to kill innocent people and expected us to be okay with it...I guess that's all everyone sees us as, tools to use and discard when it's convenient."_

Nathan swallowed hard. The tone in the psionic's voice was cold and sharp. Whatever had happened must have really set him off. And with Jodie sounding as upset as she was, it only added fuel to the fire.

"JD, you two can't run from them." he tried to explain calmly. "They'll hunt you down and they will find you. You both have got to come in. We'll talk, the three of us together. I'm sure that we can-"

 _'No.'_ JD said darkly. _'We're done, being their puppets, Nathan. And you tell them, if they come anywhere fucking near us...I will KILL them."_

There was a crash and a burst of static before the line went dead. Nathan stood in the middle of his office, phone all but dangling from his weak grasp when he realized the seriousness of what had just happened.

"...oh god..."


	15. 14) Hunted

_**You ever have the feeling that the whole world was out to get you?**_

 _ **Most psycologists would chalk such a thing up to over sensitive amounts of paranoia or some mental disease that requires medication and a lot of therapy...but when you're someone who unexpectedly defects from an intelligence branch of the US government you were conscripted into, then it's not just a crazy scenario in your head.**_

 _ **It's reality.**_

 _ **With one snap decision, Jodie and I had gone from respected members of the CIA, to the two most wanted people in America.**_

 _ **After our last ditch call to Nathan in the small town we dropped into, Aiden shielding us when we fell from the chopper, we walked all night in the rain to the next town over. Crashing in a motel for the night as we tried to figure out a plan.**_

 _ **We couldn't go back to our place, or anywhere remotely close to DC, without being captured. We did however manage to hit up an atm on our way to the motel and drain our bank accounts of everything before the CIA had a chance to freeze them.**_

 _ **There was a descent amount saved up between us over the last couple years, with the agency covering our apartment and utilities we only had to buy clothes and groceries at home. The funds would be a good amount to get us pretty far, and the only plan we could come up with for the time being was to put ourselves as far from Capital Hill as physically possible.**_

 _ **So, the very next day, only having the clothes on our backs and a couple grand between us, we set off to the North-West...and not a moment too soon.**_

 _ **Our pictures were posted on every major news network a day or so after we defected, which meant all law enforcement agencies all over the country would have them on hand with orders to bring us in. Not to mention that the CIA had resources that could stretch almost everywhere, the odds were stacked pretty high against us.**_

 _ **But despite everything, we weren't going down without a fight. And both of us were going to do everything in our power to avoid becoming nothing more than tools for the government to use whenever.**_

 _ **And if none of them heeded the warning we gave to Nathan...well...then they'll learn the hard way that Jodie and I weren't to be taken lightly.**_

 **X**

Rain pelted the window as the train ran through the forest of the Pennsylvania countryside.

JD watched the dark trees pass by through the clear droplets that ran down the thick glass, his chin resting on top of the knuckles of his right fist as he starred unblinkingly. His mind drifting to parts unknown as the dull rumble of the train on the tracks vibrated through the passenger car.

Movement next him snapped him from his daze and he turned to see Jodie shifting in her sleep, nuzzling her head on his shoulder before becoming still again. She deserved it, neither of them had really slept in three days.

It had been almost three weeks since they fled from the CIA, and since then things had been incredibly tense at best. With their pictures posted across social media, they had to be very careful in where they went while traveling.

The agency would do everything in its power to capture them, and the sheer amount of resources at their disposal was nothing to joke about. Their only real chance at keeping out of custody was to not stay in one place too long and keep moving.

So far they hadn't come up with any concrete plans for what they were going to do, but JD and Jodie had agreed that they would think on it more when they got as far from DC as they could.

Placing a kiss on the top of her head, the psionic looked down at their clothes. His jeans were torn at the knees with his legs exposed, his black hoodie had it's sleeves torn off revealing the ones of his red t-shirt beneath it.

Jodies outfit looked no better, an old brown coat with a baseball cap covering her plaid over shirt which was ripped in several places, along with her red tanktop.

The additional layer wasn't just to fend off the bad weather, but to hide her appearence as well. JD just had his hood pulled up over his head for the same reason. There was no telling if someone might be able to recognize them, and they needed to play it safe.

One of the things they needed to do soon was get new clothes, they could manage a little something with the amount of money they had on them. But for now what they had would do.

JD yawned, scratching at the five o'clock shadow that had started to get darker in the last few weeks, he turned his attention back to the window just as the train's PA system kicked on.

 _'Attention all passengers. We have an unexpected stop. I repeat, we have an unexpected stop. Please remain seated.'_

The mention of an unexpected stop had the psionic perking up as the train came to a slow stop at a small station set in the forest. His adrenaline spiking when he saw the dozens of flashing blue and red lights all around it.

"Shit!" JD cursed under his breath before shaking Jodie's shoulder, "Jodie? Wake up!"

"Huh?" she mumbled groggily, "What's going on?"

"We got trouble."

 **X**

Outside on the station platform, the local sheriffs watched the train come to a stop while they prepared to board.

"Goddamn rain," one of the officers said to the other as it continued to downpour around them. "Don't look like it's ever gonna let up."

"Been like that for days." said another as they turned to look at the train. "All the police in the state, just to catch two college kids? Gotta pretty damn important to make such a fuss."

"Came from the top. Highest priority. Both of them are supposed to be CIA on the run." said the first, "Wanted for treason, at least that's what I've heard."

Another officer that was smoking a cigarette nearby snorted, "Biggest manhunt I've ever seen. They sure as hell ain't gonna get very far now..." After another minute or so, the sheriffs started to converge on the train.

 **X**

The train had started moving again as the cops got on and started to look at the passengers. "Evening," one of them said outloud, "Routine check. Can I see your ID's, please?"

JD watched as they went to the front of the car first, nodding to Jodie, she got up and slowly made her way to the door leading to the next car. Getting up behind her, backpack slung over his shoulder, he followed after her making as little noise as possible.

"Sir, return to your seat." JD froze, Jodie looked at him through the window of the door on the other side, her eyes wide. Her face thankfully blocked from the officers' view by the psionic's body.

He flicked his eyes down, doing so again a couple more quick times, silently telling her to get down out of sight that she did reluctantly.

"Sorry officers, been holding it since the last station." JD said to the sheriffs with his back still facing them.

"Please turn around and show us your ID." one of them said, both now standing right behind him.

The psionic knew there was no easy way out of this, they obviously came looking with purpose and would find out that he and Jodie were on board. "Alright...just let me-" he spun around and launched a weak psi-blast into the men, sending them falling to the floor as he ran to the door, wrenching it open and surprising Jodie from the place between the cars.

"Run!" JD shouted. Yanking oven the next door, the couple staggered past startled passengers as they ran through the next car. Going through the next set of doors making their way to the front of the train.

A food cart was suddenly shoved out of the way as a sheriff jumped out and grabbed Jodie. She quickly wrenched herself out of her coat, JD coming up behind her and elbowing the man in the chest and knocking him into the wall.

Shoving past a passenger who had been coming into the car, having him shout after them as the couple entered a car filled with overnight rooms.

"Aiden! The window!" Jodie called out. A second later, a window beside them blew outwards. She quickly got up and pulled herself outside just as the door they had just come through and the two sheriffs from before came barreling in.

"FREEZE!" the one leading shouted.

JD snapped his hand out, focusing his powers along the wall before lashing toward them. All of the windows shattered, the shards of glass pelting them, forcing the officers to cover their heads and giving the psionic the chance to follow after Jodie.

Out into the whipping turrned of wind and rain as he pulled onto the roof of the train itself. The metal surface similar to ice with how slick it was, but the duo managed to keep their feet planted enough to move forward.

Sheriffs started to crawl out from the cars below them, attempting to grab them as they ran past. One managed to get onto the roof and lunged for Jodie, but the young woman kicked the man's feet out from under him before slamming her fist into the side of his head knocking him down.

The train rattled, knocking her to her knees, but JD had been there to catch her and bring her back up. Holding her around the middle and helping her along as they kept pushing.

Three more sheriffs appeared, quickly surrounding the couple who went back to back to cover one another.

One of the cops lunged, the psionic deflected his arms and slammed his elbow into the side of his head. Another went for Jodie only to have her knee come up into his stomach, a quick left and right cross following it up that left him staggering.

The last sheriff went for JD, a wide punch aimed for his flank. But he had seen it coming and grabbed the other man's arm, twisting it to the side and punching him repeatedly in the side before sending an uppercut to his chin that sent him back a couple steps. Unable to block the roundhouse kick that sent him crashing to the metal surface beneath them.

Jodie blocked another strike, bringing her foot down on her attacker's knee and dropping him to a kneeling position then slamming her knee into his face and knocking him out. The first one she fought grabbed her from behind, attempting to restrain her.

Snapping her head back, she caught him in the face making him lose his grip enough to pull out of his arms, spinning around and wrapping one of her smaller ones around the back of his head. Bringing the larger man down hard face-first and taking him out.

With the threats eliminated for the time being, the couple started moving again. Forcing their way through the harsh weather to the front of the train in the hopes of finding a way to escape their persuers.

Fate, however, wasn't on their side as three more sheriffs were standing at the end of the car ahead of them. "Got you!" one of them shouted.

Turning back, they found the ones they had just fought getting back up. "End of the line kids!"

Surrounded on all sides with nowhere to go, JD glanced over his shoulder at the passing forest, a blur of shadows in the dark. Seeing their only opprotunity, he grabbed Jodie's hand, his lover already coming to the same conclusion as she mentally prepared herself.

"Aiden NOW!" she screamed before they jumped off the train. A distorted bubble of energy forming around them as they cut through the air and into the trees. Landing with a hard roll in the dirt, the field the entity created around them absorbing nearly all of the impact as they sat up and saw the train fly past with the dumbfounded sheriffs still on the roof.

Taking a moment to catch their breath, the couple got up from the ground and looked at their surroundings. Rain pelting the leaves above them, filling the whole forest with white noise.

"We need to get moving," JD said, checking to be sure the backpack he wore was still intact. "No telling how long it'll be before they come looking for us."

"I think there's a town not too far from here," said Jodie as they started to make their way through the woods. "If we can get there we could find a car or something and..." she trailed off when the loud thrum echoed from above.

In the distance, a large spotlight could be seen shining down on the ground and steadily getting closer. There was also a chorus of loud barks coming from the same direction with flashlights flickering back and forth.

"Go around the other side!" someone shouted from the group that was now converging on them. "Fan out, 10 foot gap!"

"Go, GO!" the psionic exclaimed as they started running. Ducking beneath fallen trees, jumping over bushes and all but sliding down a steep hill. Avoiding the spotlight from the chopper in the air while the the dozen or so cops and their K9 units started closing in.

"I think I can see them!" was heard at the top of the hill as the couple jumped into a small river at the bottom. Wadding their way through waist-deep, freezing water as fast as they could to the other side.

The spotlight shined down brightly onto them when they were half-way across, exposing their position to the officers on the ground. "There they are!" gunshots rang out, hitting the water around the couple, sending small jets of water shooting into the air.

JD hit the shore first, quickly climbing out and helping Jodie back on land before they took off running again. Several more shots were fired, narrowly missing them, a couple hitting a few trees as they ran past.

The barking they'd been hearing got considerably closer, how much closer had been proven when a large German Shepard jumped onto JD's back.

The psionic reacted on instinct, reaching back and grabbing a fistfull of fur on the back of the dog's neck and threw it into a nearby bush.

Three others quickly arrived, surrounding them on all sides and forcing them to stop. Jodie grabbed a nearby tree branch and tore it free just as one of the animals leapt at her. She swung hard, striking the dog in the side and knocking it aside.

The remaining two K9s went after JD. His powers flaring as he picked up one with TK and threw it into the other. When they started to get back up, he hit them with a psi-blast that sent them flying back into the woods.

Jodie heard growling behind her and turned in time to see the dog JD had thrown off his back coming at her, mouth open wide intending on latching onto any part of her it could. She swung her improvised weapon and knocked it to the ground, it went to lunge again and was met with her foot. Sending it crashing back down with a loud yelp.

Before she had a chance to prepare herself, Jodie was taken off her feet when the K9 she had hit before jumped onto her. Landing on her back, the dog went for her face...but was stopped when she reacted fast and brought the branch up and shoved it into the animal's mouth. Using all her might to keep it from getting any closer.

With a sharp twist to the side, she and the dog rolled to the side a few times. Giving her the momentum she needed to kick the animal off her and sending it into a tree.

Landing on the ground, the K9 whimpered as it got back up before running off into the woods.

The dogs were gone, but the police had used the distraction they caused to get closer to them. JD looked at the fast approaching flashlights and thought fast; pointing his open hand at Jodie, he picked her up with his TK, making her gasp in surprise and look at him questioningly.

Putting a finger to his lips, he raised her into the air high enough to the point where she was on the top of a large rockwall that had been at their backs. When she was safely on the top, the psionic jumped up onto the surface and started to climb.

The rain pelting down on him, the weight of the backpack and the wet stones he was using for hand and foot holds made for a difficult climb. But he managed to grit his teeth and bare with it.

JD was about another meter from the top when something pushed against his back and flattened him against the rockwall. He struggled at first, but the sudden echo in his ear and the cold chill down his back told him that it was Aiden keeping him where he was. A moment later he understood why when he heard voices down on the ground.

"You see anything?!"

"No, nothing but rock."

Lights shined up along the rockwall, narrowly missing where JD was hidden. "Neither of them would be able to make it up there. Not in this shit weather."

"Fuck! We musta' just missed 'em! Travis! Bring back those goddamn dogs!"

A couple minutes ticked by before the supernatural force keeping him in place backed off. "Thanks, Aiden." JD said lowly as he started climbing again. Reaching the top to see Jodie holding a hand out of him to take, helping him the rest of the way.

"Sorry about that, I saw them coming and told Aiden to help keep you from being seen." she said as they both looked back down to be sure that the police had wandered off in another direction.

"Thanks, babe." JD said, kissing her cheek. "Now, let's get the fuck outta these woods."

The forest thinned out before them, a road could be seen replacing the dirt and foliage covered ground. But there were also red and blue lights flashing as well, meaning the police had set up a roadblock either to catch them should they make an appearence.

Sticking close to the trees and staying close to the ground, the couple creeped toward the road. Hiding themselves by a small bridge, giving them a good view of what they were up against.

They couldn't get past them without being seen, and they wouldn't be fast enough to out run the sheriff's on foot. They needed to bum a ride somehow.

Taking another look, JD bumped Jodie's shoulder and pointed to a motorcycle that was a ways from the other vehicles parked. "Think casper can give us a distraction?"

She nodded and sent Aiden a mental command, the entity leaving her side and venturing amongst the police gathered in the road ahead of them. Flying straight toward the driver of the motorcycle and possessing him.

Now in control of the man, Aiden led him to the back of one of the police units and opened the back. Taking out the shotgun that was laying there and firing it blindly into the air.

"Jesus Mike!" one of the other officers shouted as the possessed man continued to shoot into the air. "Put that fucking gun down! Are you crazy!"

They had moved from their original place to taking cover behind the cars, JD and Jodie ran along the side of the road and jumped the guardrail, no one noticing them as they jumped onto the motorcycle. The psionic turning the key and starting the engine while his lover wrapped her arms tightly around his middle.

Aiden jumped out of the officer just as he revved the throttle and they shot off down the road. The single headlight showing their way the faster they went.

JD had only drove a motorcycle once before, but the mechanics were relatively simple to remember. Still, he kept their speed to a certain extent so that he didn't lose control on the wet roads.

Jodie's grip on his back tightened when they took a couple of turns, no real destination in mind, just a means to get as far away from possible capture as possible. For a while, they looked to be in the clear...until the familiar sound of chopper blades reached their ears over the motorcycle's engine.

"God dammit!" the psionic cursed as the same spotlight from before shined down on them. One of the sheriffs back at the roadblock must have called ahead and reported the missing vehicle, which explained how they had caught up so fast.

Twisting the throttle again, JD punched it a little harder. Doing his best to keep them out of the spotlight while trying to keep them from flying off the road.

A bridge was just ahead...and on the other side was an even larger roadblock. This one having a whole squad of SWAT armed with automatic weapons aimed straight ahead where they were coming from.

Seeing the large obstacle, JD hesitated and slowed down as they came up to the bridge. Jodie peering over his shoulder and seeing it too. The couple shared a side glance with one another;

"Do it!" Jodie exclaimed. The psionic gunned the engine and they shot toward the bridge, intending on going right through the roadblock. "Aiden NOW!"

A barrier of supernatural energy formed around the front of the motorcycle, the barrage of bullets heading straight for them bounced harmlessly off it as they closed the distance between themselves and the line of officers.

"Oh SHIT! TAKE COVER!" the Commander in charge shouted just as the couple barreled through them. The barrier sending men and armored vehicles flying in all directions as they came out the otherside unscathed.

Gunshots rang out behind them, but none hit their target as they vanished into the night.

The Commander ordered his men to hold their fire before getting on the radio, "This is Roadblock-Tango...we just missed them." he said, trying to comprehend what had just happened as he looked at one of the overturned armored units. "They're headed for Bakerstown."

 **X**

Their journey past the bridge had been, thankfully, uneventful. But JD maintained their speed to ensure their persuers didn't catch up to them right away.

They had passed a sign saying they were entering Bakertown not long after going through the roadblock by the bridge. The sight of the town in question was a welcome one, but they didn't have time to rest yet, the cops would be on them at some point and they needed to keep going if they intended to escape capture.

Going up what was most likely mainstreet for the small mountain community, the couple took in the sight of the darkened homes and businesses around them. Only a few street lamps and signs were active, and the rain gave off the vibe of it nearly being a ghost town at this time of night.

Approaching a four-way intersection, a gunshot suddenly rang out in the silent town. JD twisted left, taking a side-street when another shot was fired, hitting the engine of the motorcycle and making it pitch to the side.

Neither he or Jodie had a chance to curse at the misfortune before they hit the road. Curling in on themselves and covering their heads as they rolled along the wet asphalt while the bike slammed into a parked car.

Coming to a stop, JD groaned as he rolled over to his hands and knees. His body ached, but nothing compared to the burning that was coming from his right leg. Chancing a look, he found his pantleg torn from the knee down with a steady steam of blood dripping down from the shreaded skin that was exposed.

His leg had been trapped beneath the bike when it landed on its side, the damage coming from his limb being ground on the asphalt before he managed to roll away.

Gnashing his teeth, the psionic attempted to stand...falling forward, being forced to catch himself when the pain of his injury flared blindingly. A second attempt had him upright, but favoring his injured leg as he looked over the burning wreckage of the bike, finding Jodie getting up as well, looking to be in pain as well from their sudden crash.

The situation became more dire when several armored police units came screeching onto the street, SWAT officers in full riot-gear piling out and setting up a perimeter around the crash site.

"F-Fuck!" JD cursed, limping toward the cars parked on the side of the road infront of a movie theater, Jodie was already in the process of doing the same, the both of them dropping down behind the vehicle closest to them as a series of rounds peppered the opposite sides.

In the air above, the same chopper that had been chasing them appreared. Shining its spotlight down on where they were hunkered down. A couple snipers set themselves up on the surrounding rooftops...escape was impossible for them now.

"You're surrounded! Come out with your hands up and you will not be harmed!" the Commander called out through a bullhorn from his place within the perimeter.

Hand clutching at his bleeding leg, pushing power into the wound to help it heal, JD turned to Jodie, "These guys aren't gonna quit. Guess they're just looking for trouble."

"Well then," she replied, wiping away at a bleeding scratch on her cheek, "Let's give them some trouble." looking at the air, she gave Aiden the go ahead to cause chaos amongst the SWAT teams that had them surrounded.

Seconds later, a massive explosion shook the small town. A nearby gas station going up in a firey blast, sending armored trucks flying and officers shouting, one or two of them on fire as they tried to put themselves out.

With a majority of the officers disoriented from the sudden explosion, JD leaned out from behind the car he had taken refuge behind and reached out with his powers. Focusing them on the clock tower across from the theater, the building started to buckle, the internal supports cracking and splintering along with the walls.

With a pull, the psionic brought the top of the tower down with a thunderous crash right on top of the unsuspecting men standing below.

Aiden flew through the air, going into an armored truck and possessing the driver before having him gun the engine and drive directly into a storefront. The vehicle exploding and taking out the building, along with anyone who had been standing nearby.

"GET THEM! NOW!" the Commander roared, having seen half his men taken down through unknown means. The SWAT units opened fire, rounds peppering the already damaged cars the couple was hiding behind.

JD struggled to get up, Jodie quickly moved over to him and helped him up, slinging an arm over her shoulders as she led him to the entrance of the theater.

The psionic blasted the doors open so that they could take refuge inside while she turned and looked toward Aiden;

"Aiden! Keep them off us! Whatever it takes!"

The entity echoed in acknowledgement as he surveyed the area. All of the remaining officers were converging on the theater, neither of the humans would stand a chance against such opposition, especially when they were injured. He needed to end this and fast if they were to make it out of this.

Looking toward the sky, and seeing the helicopter hovering just overhead, Aiden came up with an idea. Floating up to it, he went into the cockpit and possessed the pilot. Now in control, he took hold of the joystick and started twisting it around in a circle, the chopper following along with the movements as it went into a tailspin. Dropping to the ground and taking out several lamp posts before crashing in the middle of mainstreet, fire and debris scattering in all directions which had either killed or knocked out the officers that had been standing within the blast radius.

In the theater, JD pulled Jodie under him and covered her when the explosion shook the building. Waiting about a minute to be sure that it was over before staggering to their feet. The psionic moving the ATM they had used to prop the door closed with TK as they stepped outside...

It looked like a scene from a disaster movie. Fires were spread all over the place, buildings looked to just barely holding together while jets of water shot up from the ground from busted fire hydrants.

"...Not to sound cliche...but there goes the neighborhood." JD couldn't help but utter. Jodie could only nod as they made their way through the blaze of the wrecked chopper.

Coming out the other side to find the SWAT Commander attempting to drag himself away from the scene.

A flash of rage filled Jodie as she stomped toward him. Reaching down and grabbing the collar of his uniform and forcing him to look into her eyes;

"You tell them to leave us the FUCK alone. Because next time...EVERY ONE of you will DIE!"

Tossing the man back to the ground, she made her way toward JD who was still limping. Helping him toward another police motorcycle, he attempted to get behind the bars only for her to stop him.

"No way, not with that bad leg. I got this." Jodie said sitting down first and having him sit behind her as she started the engine. "You think they got the message?"

"If not, then we'll just have to show them again." the psionic replied as he wrapped his arms around her waist and got his leg in a good enough position so it wasn't bothered. "Hopefully we won't have to destroy half a town again to do it."

Revving the throttle, Jodie pulled them out onto the road and drove South. Leaving Bakerstown behind them and gaining much needed time to rest and lick their wounds...

Although, their journey was far from over. 


	16. 15) Homeless

_**Weeks had passed since the Bakerstown incident, and since then Jodie and I had been far more careful about the moves we made. With no telling if the CIA got our warning or not, we decided to play it as safe as possible.**_

 _ **We traveled pretty far, sticking close to the Northern states since they had the most terrain to take refuge in should another law enforcement agency came for us again. It had started to get cold, so we bought ourselves some good winter clothes and bundled up for our travels.**_

 _ **Our funds were still holding strong. Only spending on only what we needed; i.e. food, clothes and medical supplies when they were needed. Though there was no telling how long it would last us.**_

 _ **As time went by, another issue presented itself that we hadn't been expecting.**_

 _ **The entities that had plagued Jodie from back in the day had returned with avengence. Almost every other night they'd come and attack us, like rabid animals. Aiden and I fended them off pretty well together, but it made of several sleepless nights which didn't bode well for any of us.**_

 _ **We could only keep moving, despite exhaustion bad weather and the constant fear of someone coming for us at any given moment, it's all we could really do and hope for the best.**_

 _ **I wasn't an overly religious kind of person...but in those moments, I couldn't help but pray for the occasional miracle. Especially when we really needed them the most.**_

 _ **But the funny thing about miracles? They really do happen when you least expect it. And they are usually brought about by the most interesting people.**_

 **X**

The bitter cold was hard on the lungs, each intake of the late December air bringing about sharp jab to one's chest. Of course, the almost knee-deep snow in addition to the heavy fall that was still coming down didn't help matters either.

Adjusting the black 'Boston Bruins' skullcap on his head, JD shrugged down into the heavy bomber-jacket he wore to keep warm against the harsh wind that blew around him. Even with it, and the additional layer of a hoodie underneath, the shivering was unavoidable given the hard drop in temperature.

Looking to where Jodie was standing at a payphone, talking to Nathan again.

The psionic couldn't understand why she even bothered, considering that the man had handed them over to the CIA in the first place and was more than likely helping them try to track the couple down.

However, he also understood that the professor had played a huge role in their lives despite what had happened between all of them. So he kept his thoughts on the subject to himself if it meant Jodie would be a bit more at ease.

Yawning, JD stumbled back on the snow-covered sidewalk, his back hitting the wall when he lost his sense of balance. He hadn't slept in over two days, and before that he barely managed an hour or two each night.

The dark entities had returned...even stronger and more vicious than either of them had remembered. Almost every night had been a battle, Aiden and JD both working together to quickly dispatch the supernatural monsters whenever they revealed themselves. But each time they were fended off, they would come back in either double the number or double the ferocity.

Severe exhaustion had settled in almost as quickly as the winter had. Even worse, the small city they had found themselves in only had a few sparse hotels, and all of them had been booked solid.

Nowhere safe to sleep, trapped in the harsh weather outside, and being assaulted by entities in the dead of night...needless to say, the couple was in deep trouble if they didn't come up with something.

Shaking off the drowsiness, the psionic heard Jodie hang up the phone before shuffling back toward him. Bundled up tightly in a dark-green parka with a wool beanie on her head that was already covered in a thin layer from the snow coming down from above.

"You okay?" he asked, pulling her into his chest and rubbing her back in a vein attempt to help warm her back up.

Jodie only nodded, coughing a couple times into her hand as she burrowed herself into the psionic's chest as much as she could. She'd been fighting a cold for the last few days, and the lack of sleep wasn't making it any better for her.

"Come on, let's find out a way out of the damn cold." they started making their way up the street. They made it a couple blocks before Jodie collapsed, forcing JD to catch her.

"Jodie? Jodie?!" he exclaimed in alarm, holding her close and touching her face. "My god, you're burning up!" bending down, the psionic scooped her up in his arms and started carrying her.

They'd walked by a hospital not long after they got into the city, it wasn't far from where they were.

 _"Fuck keeping out of sight, I need a damn doctor!"_ JD thought, adrenaline washing away the exhaustion as he pushed through the deep snow.

He made another block before he felt a chill in the air, one that wasn't caused by the weather and went straight to his core. "...No. Shit! Not now!" he said snapping his attention in every direction, catching the air distort in a few places and knowing full well what was coming next.

Gritting his teeth, JD set Jodie against the wall in the mouth of a nearby alley. Taking off his jacket and laying it over her, leaving him in just his skullcap and grey hoodie while keeping his eyes locked on the air. "Aiden..protect Jodie."

The good entity echoed, in both agreement and worry for the psionic.

"I'll be fine, casper. Just keep them away from-" he was cut off when the first dark entity appeared. Flying straight for him with its mouth open wide and an otherworldly screech emitting from it.

JD threw a psi-blast into it, the power behind it enough to blow the creature apart.

Four more came out of the nearby shadows and went on the attack, the psionic prepared himself and fought back. Psi-blasts being thrown in different directions, one managing to hit its target while the others were avoided.

One of the entities about-faced and launched itself at him, making JD leap to the side to avoid being hit only to have another slash at his side. The scratch deep, making him stumble and narrowly avoided another strike from a different entity.

Firing another blast and eliminating another creature, a wave of dizziness started to fall over him. The lack of sleep over a long period of time was making it harder for him to maintain his powers and remain focused.

Pushing through the haze settling over his mind, JD kept fighting. There were only two more entities, he just needed to keep it up until-

One of the creatures blindsided him, knocking him to the snow while the other came back around and slam into his side with enough force to send him into a nearby brick wall. His head bouncing hard off the surface, pain overcoming every one of his senses making his vision swim with darkness creeping along the edges as he laid on the ground.

The entities closed in on him, preparing to tear him apart when Aiden suddenly appeared. Quickly destroying them before they could cause anymore damage. JD looked up at him, his eyes cloudy while he shivered involuntarily as he tried to get up. "...Th...Thanks..." he slurred before falling into the snow again. In pain and too weak to move.

His last waking vision being that of Jodie across from him before everything faded away...

 **X**

 _He felt numb, floating in a sea of black that shifted around him in waves._

 _All of his senses were greatly dulled, save for his hearing. Every so often he would pick up the muffled sound of talking coming from somewhere close, but he could do nothing to figure out where it was coming from and who was speaking._

 _Time seemed to drag on, then, as if a shroud had been lifted, his senses returned to him. Everything becoming clearer as his eyes slowly cracked open..._

JD blinked, letting his eyes adjust to the bright sunlight shining down from somewhere close.

Attempting to sit up on the dirty mattress he woke up on, the psionic hissed when a sharp pain pulsed from the back of his head. "Easy, son. You took a pretty nasty bump on the head."

Snapping to look upward, his head screaming in protest from the sudden movement, JD was met with an older man dressed in dirty clothes beneath a long coat and a wool cap. His rough and dirty features stretching into a kind smile as he knelt down beside him holding out a beatup metal cup filled with water.

"Here, you look thirsty." The psionic accepted the cup hesitantly before taking long drinks from it, soothing his aching throat. "Had me worried there for a while." the man continued. "Was beginning to think you'd never wake up. You and that friend of yours looked to be in rough shape when I found you both in the snow.

JD choked on the water and coughed loudly, memories of the night before coming back to him in a flood and filling him with anxiety. "J-Jodie! _cough_ Where's Jodie!" he managed to wheeze out in panic.

The man held up his hands, "Easy, son! Easy. She's right over here." he stepped aside and motioned to another mattress that was set up across from him, inside a curtained off area. Laying on it beneath several ratty blankets was Jodie.

Ignoring the aching in his skull, the psionic staggered up to his feet. Shuffling across the small space and dropping down beside her. Touching her face, feeling her warm skin on his cool hand and sighing in relief when he found her breathing steadily as she slept.

"She had a pretty bad fever when you were brought here." the man said coming up behind him. "It broke the night before, thankfully. She's pretty tough."

 _"Damn right she is."_ JD thought, placing a kiss on Jodie's forehead. He had a feeling Aiden had a hand in helping her get better too, and probably did something to get them help while they were out of it. _"Seriously owe you one, Aiden."_

Taking the chance to look around where they were, JD saw that it was a fensed off area beneath an overpass surrounded by broken down cardboard boxes. A metal barrel in the middle of the cubicle was alight with a fire that was warming all of them and had an old teapot on a loose grate over the opening.

Along the walls were makeshift shelves with tattered books, an old armchair with the stuffing coming out of it in the corner

"Where are we?" the psionic asked their 'host'.

"My place." was the honest reply. "Not very luxurious but, it's quiet. Found the two of you in the streets a few days ago."

"And you took care of us?" wondered JD, a little skeptical at the showing of cherity from a random stranger.

The man shrugged, "C'mon, sombody had to, couldn't just leave you guys laying there, dying like dogs in the street." he smiled, "The name's Stan."

"JD." replied the psionic before motioning to his sleeping lover. "And this is Jodie."

"Then, let me be the first to welcome you back to the land of the living, JD." said Stan. "I tell you, it's nice to have some company every once in a while." he went over to the barrel and poured a dark liquid from the pot into three mugs. "Coffee? It's strong. Figured I let you have a bit of water before offering you something that tastes like shit. But it'll keep you warm, at least."

JD nodded his thanks and accepted the drink, letting it cool before taking a drink...the nasty flavor making him gag before he managed to choke it down.

"Told ya." Stan said with a chuckle as he sat in the armchair close to where he was. "How long you and your girl been on the streets?"

"About a week." answered the psionic truthfully. "Usually use hotels...but none of them were open."

The older man nodded, "Been about three years for me." he said back just as honestly. "Don't know how many times I thought I was gonna...snuff it. Just go completely nuts. But I guess you can get used to anything. Even living with nothing."

JD looked down into the mug in his hands, "Yeah...I know what that's like. In a way."

Stan looked over at him, "You two on the run? Parents? Messed up system? Something like that?"

"Something like that." said JD, taking another hard drink of the concotion he was holding. "A little worse, though."

"Problems with the law, then?" Stan summerized, "Nah, is none o' my goddamn business. As long as you ain't killed somebody, it's fine by me."

On the outside, JD was calm, but inside his stomach had dropped a bit. _"If you only knew..."_ he couldn't help but think when Stan spoke again.

"Don't you have someone who misses you? Family? Friends? Someone missing you?"

"Jodie's all I have." the psionic said, looking down at her sleeping face as he spoke. "And she's all I need."

Stan couldn't help but smile again as he watched the younger man looking after, what he knew was the kid's better half. "Well, you two can stay here, if you like. I ain't got much to share but, whatever I got it's yours."

JD looked back at him, "Thank you. I can't understand why anyone would go so far out of their way for us, considering the circumstances."

"Well...tis the season." said the man, "Help your fellow man, do onto others, all of that stuff. Out here, all us folks who have it rough try to look out for each other. Better chances that way, I suppose. Besides, you two look like good kids."

A soft groan pulled their attention to the makeshift bed. Jodie shifted a bit and opened her eyes, looking around for a moment before settling on JD. "Wha...What happened?" she asked, her voice rough before she started coughing.

Stan gave the psionic another cup of cool water that he gave to her, "A story that I'll fill you in on. For now, this is Stan, he saved us from freezing to death." the man in question held up his hand in greeting with a gentle smile.

Jodie looked at her lover, questions burning in her gaze. He mouthed 'later' which had her nodding as she sat up and started speaking with their host and getting filled in on what the two had been talking about while she had been asleep.

 **X**

 _ **The last thing Jodie and I expected after everything leading up to this point was to be rescued by the homeless. Though neither of us were willing to question providence, especially with how much in a bad way we were.**_

 _ **Stan was a good man, but like many in the world he suffered a shopping list of bad luck which ended with him winding up on the streets.**_

 _ **And he hadn't been alone in the little 'underpass community' that had been set up. Stan had three neighbors that the two of us had met after a proper introduction between Jodie and Stan.**_

 _ **There was Jimmy, who was a drug addict suffering from severe withdrawls. Walter, who was a former teacher turned alcoholic. And lastly was Tuesday, a woman only a couple years older than Jodie who looked to be in the final trimester of pregnancy.**_

 _ **It was hard to see people so down on their luck. You hear about it on the news or read it in papers, but until you see it in person you never fully grasp the full reality of how hard some people got it. Yet despite all the trouble, they still thrived, doing whatever they could to get through one day at a time.**_

 _ **And now, Jodie and I had become part of that community, given that we had no home of our own at the moment.**_

 _ **After we'd been shown around, Stan had told us that they had run out of food and needed to collect more so that everyone could eat. He told us the many ways to collect through different forms of panhandling...but we had another idea.**_

 _ **Imagine the surprise on his face when Jodie and I handed him a fifty dollar bill from our funds. At first he was skeptical, even asking us if we stole, but we told him that before we became runaways we took every cent we had with us.**_

 _ **With the promise that there were no strings attached, and that we were willing to help since they had saved us from freezing to death days prior, Stan accepted the bill with a lot of gratitude before the three of us set out to the nearest grocery store to get everyone something to eat...**_

 **X**

The snow was still pretty deep, but the temperature had been a little warmer, making it easier for those walking through it to get around.

Stan, JD and Jodie walked together along the sidewalk. The older man in the lead, looking to be almost walking on air thanks to the generocity of the couple a step or two behind him. They'd only given him fifty bucks to feed everyone under the overpass, to see someone look so happy meant that finding cash was a lot harder out here than either of them first thought.

Jodie shivered a bit from the cold, even though her cold was doing much better now that her fever was no longer an issue, she was still a bit under the weather and needed to take it easy for a bit longer before she was 100% again.

Feeling an arm wrap around her, she curled a bit into JD's side for extra warmth.

When they had a moment alone she all asked him about what had happened when she collapsed. He told her about trying to get her to the hospital before they had been attacked by entities, and how he had fought them off as best he could before being thrown into the wall and losing conciousness himself.

A feeling of guilt slithered into her stomach. She'd been too weak to do anything and left JD to fight alone, even knowing that the exhaustion getting to him was affecting his powers he still went up against the monsters that had come after her once again.

And he got hurt protecting her...again.

"Don't do that." Jodie looked up at JD to see him tilting his head at her, "You got that look on your face again, the overly guilty one that screams 'it's all my fault'. What happened that night wasn't your fault, Jodie. You were sick, your body gave out due to that and exhaustion, I wasn't faring any better."

"Yeah, but if-" the psionic silenced her with a gloved finger to her lips.

"No." he said with finality, "We're both still alive, that's all that matters. So none of that could have, would have, should have bull, okay?"

Jodie sighed and nodded, "Why do you have to be the voice of reason?" she asked as they continued their trek.

JD shrugged, "We switch back and forth enough with that role. It just happened to be my turn." he said back, both of them laughing lightly.

"You two sound like an old married couple." Stan said chuckling from the front. "How long have you two known each other?"

Avoiding the reddening cheeks that weren't caused by the cold, JD cleared his throat and answered. "Since we were kids. We grew up together. Best friends that overtime became something more."

"That's a beautiful thing." the older man said, smiling over his shoulder at them. "Hold onto it for all it's worth, you two, something like that is hard to come by."

Hearing Stan's words, JD couldn't help but hear the undertones that led to something more personal and tragic for him. The psionic kept this filed away for later as they came up to the super market that was a couple blocks away from the overpass.

Going inside, they collected a great deal of canned goods and other things that were non-perishable and would last a while. When they checked out, they had ended up spending a little over thirty dollars, but the amount of food they managed to collect would support the folks living under the overpass for a while.

Stepping back outside, the sun had already set. The time of year marked for shorter days.

The temperature had dropped greatly, and the street lights offered just enough visibility to light the way for the trio as they started to make their way back.

A few steps from the store, Aiden echoed something in Jodie's mind, causing her to pause and her back to straighten. "What's up?" JD said, seeing her reaction and fearing the worst. Before she could even say anything they heard a voice echo out;

"Whatcha got there, old timer?!"

Their attention quickly snapped forward in time to see four men surround Stan. "Well, lookie here. You win the lottery, lucky son of a bitch?!" said one that was holding a baseball bat.

"I don't want any trouble, guys..." the older man said, holding up his hands up defensively.

"Trouble? Trouble?! That is disrespectful, old man. Do we LOOK like trouble?" said another as he looked at his friends, "He's sayin' we look like trouble..."

"Oh come on guys..." Stan said. trying to back up but was boxed in.

"You filming this Ed?"

"Yeah, I'm on it man." one of the men pulled out a small camcorder and started recording as the one with the bat went to swing at the older man.

"HEY FUCK HEADS!" JD shouted, making all heads snap his way as he and Jodie closed the distance. "Back off the old man, or I'll introduce you to some pavement."

The one with the back chuckled, "Hear that boys? Looks like the old bastard as some friends. Friends who should know than to get into where they don't belong." he gripped the bat and swung hard...

JD dropped, the blunt weapon going over his head as he came back up and delivered a solid uppercut to the man's stomach. Doubling him over with the the wind knocked out of him, he grabbed the arm holding the weapon and twisted it with enough force for him to scream and drop it into the psionic's waiting hand.

Now armed, he came around and slammed the bat against the back of the other man's legs. Taking them out from under him and landing on his back in the snow, JD cocked his arm back and landed another solid blow on his face while he was down to ensure he stayed that way.

Turning to the other three thugs, the psionic twirled the bat in his hand with his head cocked to the side, "Next."

The one standing beside the one recording the whole event brought his fists up and charged, swinging a wide haymaker that JD blocked. Grabbing the top of the bat, he slammed the handle-end into the assailant's stomach, then landed a right-cross that knocked him down. When he went to stand, the psionic swung the bat into his side.

Seeing his friend getting beaten, the third thug in the group went to help. But was stopped when Jodie stood in his way. "Get out the way before you get hurt, bitch!"

Her eyes narrowed as he went to punch her, her forearm coming up to block the hit before coming back around with her elbow and striking him in the face. With his head rearing back, Jodie capitalized by taking his arm and twisting it behind his back, knocking him off balance enough to grab him by the head and slam it into a nearby lamp post. Effectively taking him out of the fight.

With three of the thugs taken down, the couple turned to the one who held the camcorder who was steadily backing away. "...oh...shit." he muttered, now afraid with the odds against him.

JD swung the bat, knocking the device from his hand and sending it smashing against the side of a building. "We catch you messing with this man again...you and your friends won't be getting back up. Consider yourselves lucky."

That being said, the couple walked toward a stunned Stan. "How the...how the hell did you do that?"

"We...trained to fight in the army." Jodie replied, a little hesitant at first, but still managing to be truthful.

"Still...it was FOUR against TWO." the man said, still very surprised at how things turned out.

"Four assholes who couldn't fight." said JD, the bat laying across his shoulder. "Come on, we better get this stuff back to everyone else."

The trio made their way back to the overpass. Everyone there had been almost speechless when they saw the amount of food that had been brought back and couldn't wait to dig in.

Within a few minutes, some of the food had been cooked and passed around, everyone gathered around a single barrel-fire talking amongst themselves;

"I can't believe you got so much, it's like thanksgiving." said Tuesday in elation.

"It's all thanks to our new friends here. Couldn't have done this without them." said Stan, motioning to JD and Jodie. "Even managed to get some chocolate for dessert as well. This is definitely a special occassion."

"Heh, chocolate." said Walter, smiling to himself, "I don't reckon I even remember what that tastes like."

When they all settled in to eat, conversations started up all around. "So, tell us what happened out there, Stan." Walter implored, "You said something about those four guys hasslin' you."

Stan smirked, "Yeah, just a bunch of punks lookin' for trouble. Would have been in a bad way if it wasn't for the power couple over here." he said looking at the duo who were curled up together in one of his armchairs. "They kicked some real ass."

Jodie decided to steer the conversation away from them and looked toward Tuesday. "So, when's your baby due?"

Tuesday smiled and rubbed her round belly, "Next month. She hasn't been kickin' for days...I...I hope she's alright."

"Her boyfriend used to beat her up." said Stan.

"He didn't want a baby." Tuesday added, sounding broken and a little afraid as she held her stomach protectively. "He probably would have killed her."

JD turned his attention to Jimmy who was seated on the ground next to him and Jodie. He hadn't touched his meal and was shivering almost violently. "Jimmy? You good man?" he asked, wondering what was up.

"I...I'm cold..." he man chattered. "I'm so fuckin' cold..."

Walter shook his head sadly, "Drugs...nasty shit. Especially when ya gotta go cold turkey."

"How did you end up here, Walter?" asked Jodie.

The older black man smiled solumnly, "I was a high school teacher...until I stopped being able to pay back the loans. Lost my house, my job, all my friends...ended up here on dead-end drive."

"How bout you two?" asked Tuesday, looking at the couple across from her. "You haven't said much about yourselves. How did YOU end up on the street?"

JD and Jodie exchanged a subtle glance, wondering how much they should tell them. "We...did some things that we're not proud of..." Jodie said slowly. "Until we realized that we were being used...by people we thought we could trust."

"This is gonna sound messed up," JD picked up from there, "But Jodie and I? We're not what you would call 'normal'. Our lives were never easy because of it."

Walter sat forward a bit, "You said you were different? How?"

The psionic glanced at his lover again, she nodded slowly seeing the question in his gaze. They could be trusted, and it was better to show them than to simply tell them. Setting his empty can aside, he looked over at Stan's shelf of books and held out his hand.

His powers were still weak, but were steadily gaining strength again now that he was resting. It was proven when five paperbacks were pulled from the shelves and hovered in the air between the group, covered in the ethreal glow of his abilities as he used TK to have them orbit around.

"Sweet Mary mother of Jesus!" Walter exclaimed, stumbling back from his seat, everyone else in a similar state of shock as they watched the inanimate objects moving around due to JD's influence.

Sending all the books back to their original place, the psionic drew some power to his hand and sent a weak psi-blast into a chunk of rotten plywood by the entrance. The wood getting blown apart to splinters in the process.

"Like I said," JD spoke, drawing his powers back in. "We're not normal."

Stan was the first to come back from being so thoroughly stunned, "Who...Who exactly are you guys?" he asked, more out of great curiosity than anything else with everyone else, even Jimmy who had been shocked out a little out of his withdrawl period, wanted to know.

"It's a long story..." said Jodie before she and JD began to tell their life story to the group that had taken them in.


	17. 16) Little Miracles

It took a couple hours for Jodie and JD to explain their life story to Stan and the others.

Jodie talked about how she had met Aiden for the first time, coming to learn she had been bound to him since birth and that he was always by her side.

JD talked about how he had been in a coma when he was nine and woke up at the DPA where he and Jodie grew up until they had been conscripted into the CIA. Their lives after that leading up to the mission in Somalia and their quick defection from the agency...which led to where they were now.

By the end of it, everyone sat in silence. Doing their best to digest what the couple had told them. Walter reached for the half-bottle of whisky he had beside him, but paused and refrained at the last minute.

"You two have been through a lot..." said Tuesday, tears in her eyes long after Jodie talked about how her parents had abandoned her when things got 'too much' for them to handle. She cradled her unborn child at the thought of another mother simply giving up their only child for any reason.

"Yet we thrived through it all, and here we are." said JD, leaning back in the armchair he was in with Jodie sitting on his lap.

Stan shook his head, "Can't believe those guys used you like that. Making you believe that you were doing right by our country, only to make you cause chaos in another. Bastards."

"It's why we ran." said Jodie, "Neither of us wanted to be used like that again. We were cornered in Pennsylvania weeks ago, but managed to fight our way out and make it this far."

"Where you two planning to go?" asked Walter, "Runnin' from the government? Can't be doin' that your whole lives."

JD sighed scratching his cheek absently, "We never really came up with a solid plan. The authorities were always on our ass, still are, so we only had a chance to figure out what we were going to do the next day to keep ahead of everyone else."

"Could cross the boarder." offered Stan. "Canada. Mexico. Either one could be good."

"The CIA has a lot of resources and a lot of pull in other countries." explained Jodie. "We would be under the radar a bit better, but that won't stop them from sending agents to look for us if we're found out."

Jimmy let out a groan, drawing all attention his way. "...sh-shit...sorry...It just hurts...so much..." he whimpered. His body wracked with the pain as his withdrawls got increasingly worse.

Slipping his lover off his lap so she could take his place in the chair, JD knelt down infront of the drug addict. "You want the pain to go away, Jimmy?" he asked seriously. The older man shivered, but managed to nod, his blood-shot eyes locking with the psionic's clear blue ones.

Bringing his hands together and hovering them over Jimmy, JD channeled his powers into his palms and sent several pulses into the addict. The days of rest had greatly improved his ability to operate his psionics, and he was almost back up to full strength.

Through the healing link he made with Jimmy, he could almost 'see' the damage the drugs had done to his body. Focusing his energy better, he targeted the key points of the man's pain and worked on fixing the damage. Minutes slipping by, but JD paid no attention as he concentrated.

Soon, he stopped his ability and sat back on his hunches.

Jimmy blinked, slowly standing on his own two feet without so much as a single ache. "It's...It's gone. The pain's gone." he said in awe. "H-How did you do that?"

"Healing is one of my powers." said JD as he too stood up. "Consider this the first step on you keeping clean, Jimmy. Drugs aren't worth it."

Jodie smiled, then looked over at Tuesday who was rubbing her pregnant belly. Remembering how the older woman had told them that she hadn't felt her little girl kick in a few days and was worried about her well being.

Standing, she walked around the group and settled down infront of the other woman, "Tuesday? Do you want to know how your baby is?" she asked gently.

Tuesday was surprised, but nodded slowly. Jodie reached out and gently took the older woman's hands in her own, focusing on her bond with Aiden as they formed a connection to the small life growing inside Tuesday.

Through the link, they both could see the child and hear her heartbeat. She was healthy. Her vitals were strong and if everything went okay she would be born at the end of next month.

"Don't worry about her, she's all right." said Jodie smiling.

"How...How do you know?" Tuesday asked, hands now on her stomach again.

"Aiden and I saw her. She's healthy, and strong, just like her mom." said the younger woman. The red-head smiled, tears gathering in her eyes in joy.

Stan couldn't help but smile as well, these two were definetly something special. And seeing what they were able to do was making him a strong believer in what they were capable of when helping others.

"Stan?" he blinked and looked up to see Jodie standing before him. She knelt down infront of him and held out her hands.

"What are you doing?" he asked confused.

"Trust me." she replied. Hesitantly, Stan slipped his hands into hers as she started to concentrate...a connection forming between her...and the spirit that was standing beside the man before her.

Jodie's head snapped back before coming forward, her eyes rolled over white. When she spoke...it wasn't her voice, but that of another woman...one that Stan remembered in a heart beat; "Stan, my love. It's been such a long time...four long years."

Stan gasped, tears starting to slid down his aging face. "N-Nancy?" he choked.

"Yes, it is me, my love. I never left. I've been here beside you all this time. It breaks my heart to see you so lost. So desperate."

Stan sniffed, on the verge of breaking down as the tears continued to fall. "It's so hard, Nancy...I'm empty without you, my love..."

"Stop living in the past, Stan. Nothing will ever change what we had together. But now you have to start a new life, go back to work, fall in love, just...be happy again. For me, Stan. Do it for me."

"I miss you...God help me I miss you." said Stan. Jodie couldn't maintain the connection any longer and snapped out of the trans she was in. JD moved to her side to keep her steady, knowing that doing that particular ability of hers was very taxing.

Tuesday came over and put a hand on Stan's shoulder as he cried, the fact he had a chance to talk with his deceased wife hit him hard, but it was something that he had hoped and prayed for ever since she passed away.

"Miracles..." Walter said in awe, "You both are miracles come alive. The lord himself gifted you with something amazing."

"Jodie?" Stan said when he was able to calm down again. "Thanks. Walter's right, you both are truely amazing."

Nothing else was said, everyone going their separate ways to turn in for the night. Stan remained in his chair, still deep in thought while Jodie and JD curled up together on the mattress she had woken up on earlier that day.

"Hell of a day." the psionic said, arm wrapped firmly around his lover and keeping her as close as possible so they could share warmth.

Jodie nodded, "They really are good people." she said, referring to Stan, Jimmy, Walter and Tuesday. "They've just had it really hard, just like us."

JD hummed in agreement. "Never thought the homeless would be so helpful and accepting of us, when the rest of the world sees us as dangerous criminals. Guess there really are gold hearts where you least expect them.

When his response was a soft snore, he looked to see Jodie already asleep. "Night, beautiful." he whispered, kissing her on the nose before falling into the hands of sleep himself.

 **X**

A loud scream jolted Jodie from a sound sleep. Snapping her gaze around, she turned to JD and shook him. "JD! JD wake up!"

"Wha?" he asked groggily while sitting straight up, "What is it?" Another scream pierced the air and he was immediately on high alert. The couple scrambled to their feet and ran to the source, finding everyone else surrounding Tuesday who was laying on her mattress looking to be in a lot of pain.

"Tuesday?" asked Jodie concerned as she dropped down beside her, "Is it...?"

"She's got contractions." said Stan.

"We need an ambulance!" exclaimed Walter. "We need a whole goddamn hospital!"

"N-No!" Tuesday managed through the pain she was in. "No hospital! They'll take my baby! No one's gonna take my baby!"

"Jesus Christ girl!" Walter said, afraid for the soon to be mother and her child, "We ain't got NOTHING here! Ain't got as much as a blanket. Hot water. WE GOT NUTHIN'!"

Tuesday whimpered, "My baby...I don't want my baby to die..."

Stan ran his hands over his head, tryiing his best to think of something, anything, to do. "Alright! Jimmy, down the road a'ways, there's this old abandoned building. Find a way inside."

Jimmy nodded, "I'm on it." he said before running outside.

"I'll go with him." said JD, giving Jodie a quick kiss and squeezing Tuesday's hand reassuringly before following after the other man into the cold dark. Catching up to the former addict as they trudged up the street as fast as they could through the snowstorm that had been blowing all night.

Making it to the building Stan had mentioned, windows boarded up with the front doors were locked tight with a chain and padlock around the handles. "Shit!" Jimmy shouted, slamming his shoulder into the door, rattling it but not being able to break inside. "Fuck, what are we gonna do?!"

"Stand back." JD said, gathering power to his hand and launching a psi-blast into the door. The chain and lock shattered while the door itself was nearly taken off the hinges from the force behind the attack.

Jimmy stood slackjawed a moment seeing the psionic work. "Whoa...damn." he couldn't help but mutter.

"Come on, let's get back to the overpass and let them know that building's open." said JD before they made their way back. Only finding Walter looking after Tuesday.

"They went to get supplies, I think." said the older man, just before the soon to be mother let out a sharp gasp.

"M-My water just broke..."

Jimmy grabbed his hair, "Ah man, what do we do!"

JD looked to Tuesday, then outside before formulating a plan. "Jimmy, go find Jodie and Stan and tell them to meet us at the building." the former addict nodded before running back out in the storm. "Walter, I need all the blankets we can spare around here, cover Tuesday with them."

The dark-skinned man nodded too and went to collect while the psionic crouched beside Tuesday, "Tuesday, I'm going to lift you and your bed with my powers and carry you to the building Stan told us about. I know it's hard as hell, but I need you to try and be as still as possible, okay?"

"O-Okay, please...be careful." she replied, worried about her little girl while she tried her best to remain calm.

When Walter came back, he covered the young mother with several blankets to keep ker warm as JD stood up. Concentrating with his hand raised, the ethreal glow of his powers flared around him before extending outward and surrounding Tuesday and the mattress she laid upon.

Within moments, the expecting red-head and the mattress were hovering a couple feet above the ground. Moving with slow, meaningful steps, JD carried her outside and down into the street, keeping his focus solely on ensuring Tuesday remained in the air as they made the journey down the street.

Walter, after overcoming what he was seeing, grabbed an old umbrella and held if over the young mother. Keeping the falling snow from landing on her exposed face and speaking words of encouragement to her as the abandoned building came into view.

The others were already waiting for them when they arrived, "What in the world..." Stan said, seeing JD walking beside a hovering Tuesday while both of them glowed a faint blue in the dark.

"Later, we need to get her set up now!" the psionic exclaimed as he brought Tuesday inside, the group quicky following as they got all set up on the second floor in the only room that was properly sealed off from the rest of the building.

Setting the woman down carefully, JD breathed in relief as he slumped against a wall. He could lift whole cars with TK when he needed to, but the amount of care and gentlness he had used when moving Tuesday took a lot of focus.

"You okay?" asked Jodie touching his arm.

JD gave her a thumbs up just as Tuesday let out yell when another contraction hit her hard. "Seems like it's gonna be any minute now!" Walter said as they all finished setting up.

"Now what?" asked Jimmy, "Anyone know what to do?"

"Leave!" Tuesday bellowed in pain, "All of you...Except Jodie...and JD. I just want the two of them."

The others understood and quickly left the room, leaving the couple with the expecting woman. Both glancing at one another for a moment; "You...You know that neither of us have done anything like this before." said Jodie.

"W-Well me neither!" Tuesday said with a light laugh before wincing from another contraction. "I just...didn't want those guys standing around, staring at me when I'm wrecked in pain."

She screamed gain, the labor really beginning to reach its apex. JD shifted uncomfortably, trying to figure out what he should do since he had never been in a situation like this before, in either of his lifetimes.

Jodie looked to be facing the same dilemma before she started nodding. "Okay, okay, don't worry. We're gonna figure this out, we're gonna figure this out. I mean, how hard can it be? Right?" she said, trying to mostly convince herself as she looked at the psionic who gave her a bewildered look.

"Don't look at me, babe. I'm beyond out of my element here."

Tuesday screamed again, bringing them back to the present. Jodie pulled off her parka and took position by the woman's legs while JD knelt down beside her head, taking her hand with his and telling her to focus on breathing.

Turning on a nearby portable heater, Jodie removed the red-head's pants so that she had better access before putting some cleaner blankets on the mattress.

"You're doing fine, Tuesday." JD said comfortingly, feeling the grip on his hand tighten a lot. "Just breathe, you're doing great. In and out. In and out."

"Okay, we're ready." Jodie reported from her place between Tuesday's legs, "Tuesday, I need you to push. Come on, push!"

The woman pushed with all her might, stopping after a few seconds to breathe before doing it again. "You can do it, Tuesday! Push!" JD coached, wincing when her grip started to actually hurt his hand.

"You're nearly there! Keep going!" exclaimed Jodie. "I can see it! PUSH!"

Tuesday bore down and gave it her all, straining into a loud scream that reverberated throughout the whole room. JD was sure that he felt a bone in his hand crack under the pressure she was applying...

...a loud cry broke through the air...a baby's cry.

"You did it Tuesday." Jodie said, tears in her eyes as she held the newborn baby girl in her arms. She made quick work of cutting the ambilical cord before wrapping her up snuggly in another blanket, bouncing her lightly to calm her cries as she moved over and handed her over to her tired, but extremely happy mother.

"Hello, baby girl." she cooed, crying in happiness at being able to see and hold her little girl for the first time. "It's not been easy so far. But we're gonna make it. Me and you, I promise, nothing can stop us now."

JD looked on, tears of his own sliding down his face seeing mother and child interacting for the first time. Jodie came and sat down beside him, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side, he kissed the side of her head, "You were amazing, Jodie." he said softly.

Tuesday looked up at them and smiled, "I...Thank you, both of you. There's no possible way for me to repay you for what you've done for us."

"You won't ever need to." replied Jodie, "Seeing the two of you okay is more than enough."

Once they were sure that the new mother was okay and was properly covered, JD let the other three back in. All of them settling around Tuesday and getting a good look at the new baby.

"Wow... she's so, tiny." said Jimmy.

Tuesday smiled widely, "Her name is Zoey."

"Shit! She's goddamn amazing!" exclaimed Walter.

"Hey, watch your language, Walter. She understands everything you say." admonished the new mother.

Stan came over and smiled at the baby. "No...she more than amazing. She's magnificent!"

"I couldn't have done it without you guys." Tuesday looked at the couple who had helped her through labor, "All of you."

"Like I said, they're miracles!" said Walter jovally. "Nothing else to say about it!"

"Our miracles." Stan added, wrapping the couple in a tight hug. "You both gave us hope again...thank you."

"JD?" the psionic looked down at Tuesday, "Sorry about your hand. I didn't break anything, did I?"

He laughed and flexed his hand a bit, the ache already long since faded, "I've had worse. At least I could take even a little of your pain away while bringing this little angel into the world." he said, kneeling down to run a finger along the top of little Zoey's head.

"Do you want to hold her?" the new mother asked, surprising JD. "I think you more than earned the chance."

Hesitant at first, he slowly reached out as Tuesday handed him the bundle. Being as gentle as physically possible as he pulled the little girl close to his chest. She squirmed a bit, but sighed and settled into the warmth his body provided.

JD felt his heart warm, a sensation that spread throughout his entire body while his eyes prickled. She was beautiful. A little miracle born despite the harsh world her mother had to endure, and the knowledge that he had helped her come into the world filled him with so many emotions at once.

A hand on his shoulder had him looking up, seeing Jodie smiling down at him, tears of happiness cascading down her face as well. She knelt down beside him and touched Zoey's cheek as she cooed softly.

The psionic felt unbridaled love for the woman next to him, imagining the two of them together with a baby of their own. He'd thought about this once or twice before, but now, seeing her interacting with Zoey, he wanted nothing more than to see the dream become a reality one day.

With the baby in one arm, he wrapped his other one around Jodie. Hopes for the future blossuming between them as they sat amongst the group they had now come to think of as friends as the snow continued to fall outside.

 **X**

Several hours later, everyone was fast asleep. All gathered together in the same room to share warmth.

Stan, JD and Jimmy had gone out and collected a good deal of things from under the overpass and brought it to the building they were now staying in for the night. It may not have been perfect, but it was a better home than the one they had. And one that would be better suited for the new life that had just been born.

The psionic had woken up a few minutes ago, the call of nature rosing him from slumber. Yawning, he looked around the room, finding the others scattered about the room, but relatively close to Tuesday and Zoey as they slept in the center, close to the portable heater.

Extracting himself from Jodie's grip, making sure she was covered in the blanket they were sharing, he tiptoed out of the room and quietly closing the door behind him before making his way down the stairs and out into the alley behind the building.

The snow had stopped falling, but there had been another layer of snow piled onto what was already there. Making it almost knee-deep as he stood facing a wall to releave himself.

Finishing up, he started to make his way back inside when he heard voices coming from around the other side of the building. Curious, he moved silently along the wall and peered around the corner;

"You sure about this, man? We could get into a lot of shit if we're caught."

"We ain't gonna get caught. Besides, these fuckers had it coming. This will send a hell of a message."

"Yeah! Besides, we'll be doing the city a favor."

JD's eyes widened, then narrowed dangerously when he saw the four assholes that he and Jodie dealt with the day before. All of them huddled around the side of the building with four, bright-red canisters among them.

A small gust of wind carried the smell of gasoline to his nose.

 _"They're planning to set the building on fire! WITH EVERYONE STILL INSIDE!"_ he thought to himself, fear gripping his chest...but also a burning rage. The bastards had nothing better to do than to fuck with those they think beneath them, and since their egos were bruised they intended on killing innocent people for sick kicks?!

"Fuck that." the psionic muttered as his powers flared.

"Well, let's get this shit over with." said the obvious leader as he uncapped the first canister and went for a window with the boards torn off-

He was suddenly frozen for a moment before being flung backwards. Slamming into the side of a dumpster and leaving a large dent in the metal.

"What the hell-" said another before he was sent flying when something invisible impacted his chest, throwing him into the brick wall of the building hard. The remaining two looked around nervously, their eyes locking on a figure approaching them from the shadows.

JD stepped out into the light of the nearby street lamp, his expression as cold as the air around them as he leered at the thugs. "You four...just made a huge mistake." he seethed.

"The fuck you doing here, asshole? Here to get your ass kicked?" one of the two remaining thugs said cracking his knuckles and stalking after the psionic, who had remained perfectly still. When he was within range, he swung hard-

His fist being caught in JD's open hand and stopping cold. He didn't so much as had a chance to look in surprise before the psionic brought his other fist upward into his elbow. A reverberating crack echoed as the limb bent back in the opposite direction.

The thug screamed in pain briefly before JD slammed his open palm into his neck. Silencing his wails and causing him to choke and gag. His friend ran to his aid, throwing a kick at the psionic, only to have him duck under the attack, coming up with the leg over his shoulder as he used the other man's own momentum against him and flung him off to the side.

Now face down in the snow, JD walked up to him and stomped his heel down on the back of his knee. The joint crunching under the pressure which caused another cry of agony.

With all four thugs down, JD flared his powers and lifted them with TK. Bringing them all together, back to back with one another, before grabbing a long piece of thin pipe from the dumpster and bending it around them, restraining them completely.

Walking over and crouching infront of the one he took to be the leader, the one who had the baseball bat the other day, he flicked him hard in the head, making him stir. "What the hell...?" he groaned, coming back to consciousness after having been tossed into the dumpster.

"How you feeling shithead?" asked JD, making the thug look at him and snarl.

"Fuck you, freak! You and those other homeless scum deserve to die for-" he was cut off when the psionic punched him in the jaw hard enough to snap his head to the side, blood splattering from his mouth and onto the snow beside him.

"Apparently you're too damn stupid to see that you hold no power here. Allow me to educate you." JD stood up and walked over to one of the cans of gas the thugs had brought with them. Picking it up, he came back over to the men before opening it and dumping the contents on their legs.

"H-Hey! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!" the one with the broken arm screamed, pain forgotten as the gas was dumped on their lower halfs as the psionic walked around them in a couple circles until the can was empty.

Tossing it aside, JD reached out with TK and pulled a zippo lighter from the leader's pocket. The one he obviously intended to light the building on fire with as he stood over them flipping it between his fingers.

"What's the matter?" he asked, seeing the terror on their faces. "You had intentions of killing me and those I care about by burning a building ontop of us, why should I give a damn about what happens here and now?"

"L-L-Look man, we were just messin' around! No one was gonna get hurt!" the thug with the busted leg pleaded.

"Strike one." JD said, clicking the top of the zippo open.

"It...It was Tom's idea!" the one he threw into the building shouted, motioning toward the leader. "He made us do it!"

"Strike two." the psionic flicked the lighter, a small flame coming to life and dancing in the darkness. "Wanna try one more time?"

The leader, Tom, spat at his feet. "Fuck you. You ain't got the balls!"

JD tilted his head, stretching out his arm until the lit zippo was held over their gasoline soaked legs. "Then I guess this...is game over." he then promptly dropped the lighter.

All four men screamed in horror, all bravado going out the window as they struggled hard to get away and pleading for their lives to be spared...but nothing happened. No flames, no pain, nothing. When they looked up, they saw the zippo hovering in the air, just out of reach of the gas fumes that would ignite in a moment's notice.

Smirking darkly down at them, JD brought the lighter back up to his waiting palm, having caught it just in time with TK. The faint smell of piss mingled with the smell of gas telling him that he just made his point VERY clear.

Reaching out his hand, his powers glowed around him as he picked the thugs up with TK and held them in the air above him;

"Never bother these people again." he said lowly and dangerously, "If I find out you tried anything to hurt them in anyway, I will come looking for you. I WILL find you. And I will KILL you...Understand?"

The four men nodded so fast they may have gotten whiplash from it, feet dangling a good couple feet from the ground. "Good." JD removed the pipe that was restraining them before throwing them out into the street, all of them landing in a large pile of snow on the other side.

Rolling his shoulders, the psionic safely disposed of the rest of the gas before making his way back inside. Slipping the zippo into his pocket along the way as he returned to the room where everyone was still thankfully asleep.

Laying down next to Jodie, he put his arms around her and settled in again. "Where were you?" she asked quietly while yawning and settling into his warmth.

"Just taking out the trash, babe." was his reply, kissing her on the forehead as they got comfortable and went back to sleep.

 **X**

 _ **We sruck around with our new friends for about a week. Stan had taken his wife's words to heart and went looking for work, and managed to get a good job pretty quickly.**_

 _ **Jimmy never touched drugs again, going out to try and find work as well to help support their unique family.**_

 _ **Walter had also stopped drinking, deciding to spend his money helping Tuesday get Zoey whatever she needed. The old man saw the little girl as their biggest blessing, all of them vowing to make better lives for themselves and for the baby as well.**_

 _ **It was inspiring, to say the least. And Jodie and I felt honored to be welcomed by them. Feeling like we were apart of a real family...but...we couldn't stay.**_

 _ **As much as it sucked to admit, we were still on the run and couldn't risk the well being of Stan and the others for harboring us should we get found out.**_

 _ **It really didn't help that a day before we left we found a couple guys in suits asking around and showing pictures of us. It was the added push we needed to really get going, though it was still very hard to say goodbye to everyone.**_

 _ **Stan tried to convince us to stay, saying that they would protect us and do whatever it took because we were family.**_

 _ **But after we explained the danger we'd be putting them all in, along with the risk of Zoey being taken from Tuesday by the government, they understood that we weren't willing to put them in danger like that.**_

 _ **We hated leaving them behind, but we promised to come back one day and visit when the CIA was not longer breathing down our backs.**_

 _ **Tuesday had surprised us with a picture of all of them, including little Zoey, telling us that her godparents deserved to have something special. To tell the truth, being told we were her child's godparents really threw us, but she told us that if it wasn't for our help she and Zoey may not have made it, so we deserved the titles.**_

 _ **After a long, heart-felt goodbye from everyone, Jodie and I boarded a Grey Hound bus south bound.**_

 _ **Our next destination unknown, but our hopes were high after our latest experiences. And they were something we would never forget...**_


	18. 17) Navajo

_The sound of a woman screaming echoed everywhere. She was young, with a head of dark-brown hair set up in an odd looking chair in the middle of a hospital room surrounded by doctors and medical equipment._

 _Her screams persisted until they reached a much louder pitch, it was then another cry joined hers, one that belonged to the newborn one of the doctors had just helped her deliver._

 _She looked down and saw the crying child and reached out for them, "W-Wait! Wait! My child! Let me see her! Just once!" she called out in distress._

 _The doctor handed the baby off to another who then started to leave the room. "But...But...she's my BABY!" the woman screamed. "Bring her back! I've changed my mind! I want my baby!"_

 _The lights around the room started to flicker wildly while the doctors all scrambled, "Sedate her, quickly!" one of them ordered._

 _"Please! I want to see her!" the woman fought the people trying to restrain her, doing all in what power she had to get to her baby._

 _"Get the baby out of here!" another doctor exclaimed as they prepared a needle._

 _"Please, please let me see her! I WANT MY CHILD!" the mother's screams died down when she was stuck with the sedative, "Please let me see her..."_

 **X**

Jodie sprang awake, breathing labored with sweat dripping down her forehead.

The dream she just had...wasn't like any she had ever experienced before. It was so vivid, so REAL, it was almost like the visions she was able to tap into...but what did it mean? The woman she had seen felt...familiar somehow.

"Jodie?" she snapped her head around and was met with JD's concerned gaze, "You okay? You were tossing and turning for a while."

The two of them were situated in the bed of an old jeep wrangler, a large sleeping bag and a couple of pillows making a bed for them in the back of the vehicle.

JD had managed to get the jeep doing a couple odd jobs for an older man they came across a week prior who offered them the car instead of payment. In the end it worked out, since now they had transportation of their own and didn't have to get rides on trains or buses.

They'd been on the road for the last four months since they left their homeless friends, they were currently somewhere in the deserts of Arizona, parked behind a large boulder half a mile from the main road so that they couldn't be seen by passersby.

"I'm fine...just a weird dream." Jodie replied, rubbing her eyes and looked out the back of the jeep to see the sun just starting to rise on the horizon, painting the sky an array of reds and purples.

"Wanna talk about it?" asked the psionic, proping himself up on his elbows.

The brunette thought for a moment before pulling her bare legs up to her chest. "I...I saw a woman, in a hospital room. She was having a baby...and the doctors were taking her away after she was born. The woman...she...she kept screaming for her baby, but they sedated her while taking her child away..." her explaination came with several stray tears falling from her lowered eyes as she recounted what she could remember.

JD reached a hand up and rubbed her back, "You sure it was a dream? Could it have been a vision?"

"I don't know. It didn't feel like a dream." Jodie said, running a hand through her hair as she thought more on the subject. "It...I can't explain it, JD. But I think that the woman...I think she's my mother."

The information was a bit of a shock. They both had known that Jodie was adopted for a long time and anything about her real parents had never been found out. "Are you sure?" asked the psionic.

"Not completely, but I just have this strong feeling that I can't shake." she replied. "I mean, I never knew anything about my real mom...but how could I have a memory from that far back into my past?"

Sitting up completely, JD moved Jodie into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. He was only dressed in a pair of dirty jeans, and she in a white t-shirt and panties, about the closest thing to sleepwear they need considering where they were.

"Try not to think about it too much, babe." he said, kissing the side of her head. "If it is some kind of memory, it'll come to you eventually. Try not to force it, it'll end up driving you crazy."

Jodie smiled, "Afraid of the competition in the 'crazy department'?" she asked coyly.

"Hey! No one's crazier than me!" JD exclaimed in mock-indignation. Both of them breaking down into laughter a moment later. After a while they laid curled up in their sleeping bag and looking up at the sky as the stars started to fade away to the morning light.

"It's beautiful out here." Jodie said absently, her hand resting on JD's chest over his heart.

"Yeah it is." the psionic said back before shrugging, "Though, not as beautiful as the woman I'm holding right now."

He felt a smack on his chest and another laugh, "Can't help but flirt, can you?" she said, turning around and resting her chin on his shoulder to look up at him, eyebrow raised in question.

JD shrugged again, "What can I say, Miss. Holmes? This fella can't keep his eyes off'n ya." he said, adopting a fake southern accent.

Jodie smiled back at him, leaning up the rest of the way to press her lips to his. "How the hell did I get so lucky?" she wondered, tucking her head underneath her lover's chin.

"I've asked myself that same question since I woke up and saw you there next to me all those years ago." JD replied. "I guess the fates made sure we each had someone to be with till the end."

There was a soft echo in the air followed by a slight rattling in the jeep's frame. "Ah don't be a baby, casper. You're always included even if we don't openly say it." the psionic said to the air. Aiden echoed back and settled down. Jodie rolling her eyes when she heard the entity grumbling to himself.

The couple laid in silence, watching as the sun officially rose and morning finally came. The air starting to get warmer as they finally got up and got dressed for the day ahead. JD pulling on a grey wife-beater before putting his boots on.

He'd long since started shaving his head again to handle the hot-dry weather of the South-East, though he still had a five o'clock shadow which he had decided to keep.

Jodie hopped out of the back of the jeep. A pair of ripped skinny jeans and her own boots already on along with her star necklace on display. "Breakfest?" she asked with a piece of beef jerky in her mouth while handing him the bag.

"Remind me to find us an actual diner with real food when we manage to find civilization again." said JD, taking the bag and stuffing a piece of the freeze-dried snack in his mouth. "Ready to hit the road?"

"Where are we headed?" she asked. The psionic went into the back of the jeep and dug out the map they had been using.

"Let's see..." he said, spreading it out along the tailgate and looking it over carefully, "We got off I-40 last night, took the branching road and got onto Route-264 before we stopped. If I'm reading it right, we're close to the Navajo region. So we got two options; we can get back on the interstate, or stick to the back roads here in the desert."

Looking at the map beside him, Jodie looked at the various lines that made up the state of Arizona. "Which way would be safer?"

"Depends on the definition." replied JD. "We stick to the interstate, it's more likely for state troopers to pick us off. But on the back roads we're pretty much on our own if we run into trouble."

They deliberated on their choice for a few minutes before deciding to stick to going through the desert. JD focusing on the road ahead of them while Jodie watched the dry landscape going by as the day passed around them.

There had't been any other sign of traffic, of course, considering where they were and the time of day, it was usually pretty quiet to being with. Which suited the couple just fine.

A rock and roll song was playing over the radio filling the silence, when it ended a newsbroadcast started playing. _'The manhunt is still on for the two CIA fugitives that have alluded authorities for the last six months. A $100,000 dollar reward has been posted for any information leading to their capture. If you have any such information, please contact your local law enforcement agency.'_

JD changed the radio channel, "Well, if they're offering up money for information they must not have a whole lot to go on." he commented.

"Still, people will be paying closer attention now with that reward on the table." said Jodie.

"Maybe...but thousands of tips will fly in leading them in different directions by people who only want the cash. So they may have just given us an advantage, as long as we keep watching our steps." the psionic replied.

Bringing the jeep around a small corner, JD felt a bit of vibration in the steering wheel. Passing it off as nothing he kept them going...but an hour later the small vibrations grew in intensity, now being felt in the gas pedal.

"...JD?" Jodie asked, feeling the shaking in the vehicle now just before white steam started to billow out from under the hood."

"Ah, shit." JD cursed, pulling the jeep off to the side of the road. Killing the engine, he got out and went to the front and lifted the hood, shielding his face from the billow of steam that poured out before taking a closer look.

The car had definitely been up there in age and milage, but when he was offered the thing instead of payment he took it anyway. The job hadn't been too hard and it was worth it to have their own wheels, despite what issues the thing might have as long as it got them somehwhere...

But apparently the nearly triple digit heat of the Arizona countryside was the breaking point for the old jeep as the psionic took in the cracked radiator that was leaking both fluid and steam.

"Radiator's fucked." he said stepping back from the car and wiping the sweat from his head. "This old thing ain't going anywhere."

"So we're walking?" asked Jodie, pulling her long hair up into a ponytail. Not really liking the idea of treking through the blistering heat, but knowing that they had little to no other option.

"Guess so," was the only reply, JD heading to the back of the jeep and gathering up the supplies they had there into a large backpack while Jodie slipped everything they had in the front into another pack. "If we're lucky we can find a gas station or something and find more transportation."

Aiden took that moment to echo something to Jodie who perked up and looked to where the entity was. "What Aiden?" she asked. He echoed again, drawing her attention to the distance where she could make out a couple of buildings clustered together about a mile from the main road.

"Hey, I think there's a house out that way." she said, pointing to where Aiden had alerted her. "Maybe they can help."

JD looked out to where the home was located and shrugged, "Worth a shot." he looked up at the sky and saw the sun making its descent toward the other horizon along its orbit.

Supplies strapped to their backs, the couple found a dirt path that led to the property which turned out to be a farm. A couple of sheds that were assembled with an array of metal sheeting, a fenced in area horses moved about freely and a large barn a few meters away from a small ranch house set in the center of everything.

 _"If all else fails, could ask them if they can spare some parts for the jeep."_ JD thought to himself as they stepped onto the property and noticed a couple of old trucks that looked to be inoperable.

Going past a stable filled with sheep, they didn't seem to notice anyone around save for the animals. Making their way to the house, stepping up a small ramp that led to the front door, Jodie knocked on it.

A long minute later the door opened a crack to reveal a native-american man around their age looking back at them, "Hey...We're sorry to disturb you, but we had some car trouble and were either looking for some help or a place to spend the night." said Jodie.

The man shook his head, "You can't stay here." he said rather pointedly.

"Then, can you please help us with our jeep?" asked JD, "Radiator's cracked and the next town isn't for a while."

"Sorry, can't help you." he went to close the door on them, Jodie moving up and stopping him before he could.

"Then, can we at least stay in your barn? I promise that we'll be gone by tomorrow."

The man gave them a sharp look, "I told you, you can't stay here. You need to leave, now." he closed the door before either of them had a chance to say anything else.

Staring at the door, JD shook his head before putting his hands on the top of it. "Well...that was a bust and a half." he said while looking at the setting sun in the distance. "It'll be dark soon, we'll camp out in the jeep tonight and head out first thing in the morning."

Jodie looked at the door a while longer before sighing, "Yeah, okay." They turned to leave when the door opened again making them pause.

Standing there was the man that had turned them away, and an older man standing beside him. They exchanged a few words in their native dialect before the older man looked toward them and smiled, "It's okay. You two can stay tonight."

The couple looked at one another before making their way inside. The warm temperature still there, but the sun was no longer beating down on their backs as the door closed behind them.

The room they stepped into was a small kitchen, a table with four places set around it with a lone light hanging above. The two men that let them in took seats on one side, the older man motioned to the chairs across from them.

Setting their pack's by the door, JD and Jodie took the offer seats. The psionic absently noticing another male, the youngest out of everyone and most likely a teenager, come out of the back and stand by an elderly woman in a wheelchair who was looking out the window.

"What are your names?" the older man asked as they sat down.

"Jodie." said Jodie as she sat down.

"John-David, thought everyone calls me JD." the psionic said as well, taking the seat beside her.

The man nodded to them, "I'm Paul. These are my sons Jay and Cory, and my mother, Shimasani." he said, introducing his family as the teen, Cory moved the elderly woman to an open place at the table before taking a seat himself.

"Don't be surprised if she doesn't answer you. She hasn't spoken in years." Paul continued, regarding his mother. "We were about to have dinner, would you like to eat with us?"

When he mentioned the idea of food, the couples' stomachs growled almost in sinc. The last couple of days had been spent mostly munching on snacks instead of an actual meal. "Um...yeah. Yeah, thank you." Jodie said for the both of them.

They all settled in their places, dinner getting passed around while everyone ate in silence.

The meal was really good, but JD made a point not to inhale every bite. They were guests in the home and neither he nor Jodie wanted to come off as untrustworthy. Taking a drink of water, the psionic noticed the older son, Jay, sending sharp looks at him an his girlfriend.

He could understand why he may be a bit hostile. Two random people coming out of nowhere asking for help and a place to stay would put anyone on edge. So he did his best to just shrug it off and continue eating.

"We don't see many hitchhikers out here." said Paul, "Can I ask where you're headed?"

"We just keep moving, from day to day." answered JD. "Our jeep broke down at the end of your driveway on the side of the main road. Busted radiator. As for where we're headed...I guess we'll find out when we finally get there."

Paul nodded, "I see."

"You guys are...um, Navajo. Right?" asked Jodie, deciding to take the direction of the discussion off them for a moment.

"We're Dineh." answered Jay.

"That means 'the people' in Navajo." clarified Paul. "That's what we call ourselves."

The psionic looked around the home of their hosts, "Your ranch is very peaceful, pretty far away from everything though."

"My family has lived here for generations." said the older man, "I was born here...I'll probably die here. I tell my boys to go, I know there's nothing for them here. But, uh, they wanna stay with their grandmother and me, so..."

"Family's important." said JD, reaching across the table and taking Jodie's hand. Everyone lapsed back into silence, the sun having long since set but the sound of wind could be heard picking up.

Under the table, the family's dog perked up and started growling when the sound of wind-chimes started ringing outside. The horses could be heard whining from their place across from the house.

Cory looked nervous, scared as he sat up straighter in his seat looking at the ceiling. He and Jay both quickly got up from the table and moved about the house, picking up large boards and covering the windows.

"It's getting late," said Paul, calm, but there were traces of anxiety in his voice that concerned the two fugatives. "Jay will, uh, show you to your room. Goodnight." he headed toward what could have been his room while Cory helped Shimisani to hers.

Glancing at one another briefly, wondering what was going on to get the family to react such a way, Jodie and JD stood up from the table and grabbed their bags. "You coming?" Jay asked impatiently from an open doorway on the other side of the kitchen.

Following him down a hallway toward the back of the house, doing their best to ignore the array of strange sounds emitting from outside, the native led them to a door and opened it up into what must have been the guest room.

"Stay in your room," Jay told them sternly as they entered. "No matter what you hear."

"What do you mean, 'no matter what we hear'?" asked Jodie.

"You value your life?" the man asked back instead. "Lock your door and don't come out until the morning." with that he left to his own room, leaving the couple alone in theirs for the night.

When the door shut, JD spoke with a low whisper. "I don't know about you, but my bullshit detector is in the red right now." Despite the act of kindness being shown unto them by the family, there was something very wrong going on around them.

Something about the 'wind' outside didn't quite feel right. And whatever it was had the family and the animals they looked after spooked.

"Same here." agreed Jodie, tossing her bag in a chair in the corner of the room. "But what else can we do? Let's get some sleep, we'll figure things out tomorrow." JD nodded along as they get ready for bed.

Both of them stripping down to her underwear before crawling into the bed under the thin covers. Turning off the light on the nearby stand as they curled up together, the wind continuing to howl outside as they fell into slumber.

 **X**

 _Images flashed;_

 _The farm house with sand billowing all around it, a large sandstorm rising up behind it..._

 _The family dog barking at something that couldn't be seen..._

 _Jay standing in the hallway of the house, "Stay in your room."_

 _A dead tree in the middle of the desert, split down the middle and bending in different directions._

 _"No matter what you hear." Jay's voice echoed as the scene changed to that of a dead goat._

 _Another image of the ranch the sandstorm growing closer to consuming it entirely._

 _Shimisani's face appeared next, eyes sorrowful as she shook her head back and forth._

 _A horse rearing back on its hind-legs._

 _Back to the dead split tree..._

 _The rance..._

 _Then it changed to an image of some kind of warrior with tribal markings, a tomahawk raised high that came down hard._

 **X**

Jodie bolted awake with a scream, hand on her chest as she sprang upward.

"Jodie?! Jodie what's wrong?!" JD shouted, her scream nearly sending him flying off the bed when he woke up in alarm. Hands on her shoulders as she sat taking deep gulps of air.

When she regained her breathing, her eyes snapped toward the window of their room to the door, "There's...There's something wrong here...something's very wrong." she said as she got up from bed and made for the door. Trying the handle only to find it locked.

"Jodie," the psionic said, following after her and putting his hands on her arms. "Calm down, talk to me, I'm pretty far in the dark here."

"I had a dream, like the one from the other night, but different." she started to explain, "I saw images, of this place, the animals and the people here. I can't fully comprehend what I had seen or why I had it in the first place, but there's something here...Aiden can feel it too."

JD saw it in her eyes, a curiosity that had been peaked at its highest, and if Aiden was able to pick up strange vibes from this place, then there must be something happening. Something that obviously had the family that lived here spooked enough to board up their house every night.

"Okay...what did you have in mind?" he asked.

Jodie turned toward the door that was locked and mentally asked Aiden to find a way to get it open. A second later the click of a lock being undone was heard over the howling wind outside.

Opening the door into the lit hallway, Jodie stepped out of the room, JD hung back and pulled on his jeans before following her out. Finding her knocking on Cory's door.

When the teen didn't answer, she moved onto Jay's only to get the same response. Reaching Paul's door last she knocked louder and called out, "Paul? Open up! What the hell's going on?!"

The door was wrenched open, the older man standing in the threshold with a terrified expression on his face. "Go back to your room!" he exclaimed before lowering his voice, pleading, "Please, just, do as I ask." Paul closed the door again and locked it before either of them could say anything else.

A loud pounding on the front door had the couple turning around and looking at it through the kitchen. Stepping into the room, they found the dog cowering under the table, eyes locked on the door as he whimpered at whatever was happening on the other side.

Approaching the door slowly, JD's powers flaring to life around him as if preparing for a possible attack. Jodie put a hand on the lock sealing the door, the other on the knob as she undid the lock and pulled the door open-

Something stood on the threshold, human in shape and glowing a bright-ethreal blue.

Jodie was thrown back by some unknown force. JD caught her with one arm, raising his other to throw a psi-blast when the door slammed shut again. Cory being the one who did it as he quickly re-did the lock.

"What are you doing here?! I told you to stay in your room!" Jay demanded as he quickly helped his brother before rounding on them.

"What the hell was that?!" Jodie exclaimed, JD taking the distraction to pulled his power back before someone noticed.

Jay didn't answer her, "Go back to bed, both of you. You can leave in the morning." without another word he went back to his room. Cory shortly behind him, sending the couple an odd look before he disappeared.

Taking a couple moments to regain their original heartrate, JD and Jodie headed back to their room.

Closing the door behind them, the psionic thought about what they had just seen and tried to figure out just what exactly was happening. Looking toward Jodie from where she sat on the edge of the bed, she looked right back, both of them on agreement that there was a lot more to this 'quiet ranch' than what they first thought.


	19. 18) Dark Secrets

_**I barely slept the night at the Navajo ranch, Jodie had caught only a few winks herself after having experienced what she had in her dreams and what she had seen when the door had been opened.**_

 _ **It was beyond obvious that something wasn't right on the property, something that could only be described as supernatural. Neither Jodie or I could completely say for sure exactly what it was, but the family that let us stay in their home knew a lot more than they were willing to say.**_

 _ **Whatever it was, it had been something they they had lived with for only God knew how long to the point where they sealed up their house every single night and barricaded themselves in their rooms until morning.**_

 _ **And to top it off, even though the patriarch, Paul, was kind enough to take us in for the night, his son Jay wanted us gone as soon as possible...but as much as we wanted to leave, some nagging feeling in the back of my mind compelled me to want to stay.**_

 _ **Jodie felt the same. Whatever was happening was affecting the family very deeply, and if there was a way to put a stop to it, we would find the answer.**_

 _ **Which became easier to accomplish when Paul made us an offer we couldn't refuse.**_

 **X**

JD woke up with the first rays of sunlight peeking through the boarded up windows. Stretching a bit, he sat up slowly so as to not disturb Jodie who was still asleep.

After rubbing the palms of his hands into his eyes, the psionic got out of bed, stumbling a bit before managing to stay upright. Only having an hour or two worth of sleep was very evident, but after the night they had both had he was just glad at least one of them got enough sleep.

Approaching the windows, JD looked through the openings in the boards that covered them, seeing the sun already shining down on the desert sands outside.

Grabbing the boards, he lifted upward and set them down on the floor, sending more light into the small room. Doing the same to the other side as he got a better view of the morning...pausing when his foot stepped on something soft and cool on the floor.

Looking down, JD crouched to get a better look. A grey-white substance was lining the floor just under where the boards had sealed the window. Curious, he reached out and touched it lightly, pulling away with some of it on the tip of his finger that he rolled with his thumb.

"Ashes?" he wondered outloud. Standing back up, he looked under the other window and saw more of the powdery substance under there as well.

A cold chill went up his spine, the air around the psionic seeming to drop to near freezing, his breath coming out in puffs of white steam...something that only happened when some _thing_ else was in the room.

Feeling a presense behind him, he spun around only to find empty air, the temperature returning to normal almost as quickly as it had dropped. All of JD's senses on high alert as his eyes flickered from one corner of the room to the other.

"JD?" he looked toward the bed to see Jodie sitting up, yawning and blinking her eyes open before looking back at him, "Something up?"

"I think I'm starting to get that feeling you were telling me about last night." he replied, searching the room one more time to be sure that nothing was there.

Taking a couple minutes to fully wake up, the couple dressed in the outfits they had on the other day before grabbing their bags and stepping out of their room. Making their way into the kitchen where Paul was awake and sitting at the table.

"You two look exhausted." he said when they entered. "Told the boys to let you sleep a bit longer."

"Much appreciated. We needed it." said JD. An awkward tension filled the room around them that didn't go unnoticed by all parties.

"I, uh, made some coffee." the older man said, pointing over his shoulder at the full pot on the stove behind him. "Help yourselves."

Deciding that they needed the pick-me-up, they took out a couple of mugs and poured a good amount of the morning brew in each. Jodie leaned against the counter while JD sat in an empty chair a foot away, he awkward tension still present, but no one was willing to break the silence.

The psionic looked toward Paul, a million and a half questions layered his tongue about what had transpired the night before. But he remained silent, not wanting to cause more trouble for the man that took them in for the night as he continued to drink his coffee.

When they finished, the couple made for the door. "We're gonna hit the road..." Jodie said as she opened the door, pausing for a moment when she had memories of what happened the last time she had done so. "Thank you." she said after a moment, looking back at the older man.

JD nodded in thanks as well as they stepped outside, pulling the door behind them...

"There's a lot of work to be done on the farm." Paul suddenly said, making them stop at the threshold. "If you'd like to stay on for a few days...would you mind lending a helping hand? Couldn't pay you anything, but uh...you'd have a roof over your heads that wasn't either the sky or a car's ceiling, and food on the table." he looked at them with kind eyes, "What do you think?"

Looking to one another, silently debating the man's offer and weighing the pros and cons.

The ranch was a very isolated, no one else for miles around and was the last place to look for someone who was on the run. In addition, if they helped out they would also have a few good meals every day as well.

Though the questions about what had taken place the previous night was still weighing heavily on their minds. It wasn't ideal, or permanent, but it was better than what they already had planned.

Jodie smiled, a similar look reflecting on JD's face as they turned to Paul who waited patiently for their answer.

"Yeah. Why not?"

Paul smiled and nodded back at them, "Hm, good. There's some work clothes in Cory's and Jay's rooms if you need them. See you both outside?"

 **X**

Some time later, the couple came out of the house and looked around at the ranch.

JD had kept the torn jeans and grey wife-beater he already had on, but had a black bandanna wrapped around his head to keep the sweat out of his eyes. Jodie had also kept her jeans, but had borrowed an old shirt and jean vest from Cory's room.

Paul asked Jodie to get the sheep water while sending JD to the barn to get some hay.

Entering the barn, the psionic looked up to see all of the hay bales stacked up on the second level. Raising an eyebrow, he took a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure that there was no one around to see before raising his hand into the air.

His powers flared as he picked up a bale with TK and brought it down to his level. Taking it in his hands and hefting it onto his shoulder as he made his way back out into the sun and toward where Paul wanted him to deliver it.

Along the way, he paused when he found Jodie under one of the two trees in the yard, kneeling infront of Shimasani who was sitting in her wheel chair

"Hi, I'm Jodie." she said to the elderly woman kindly. Silence was her answer. "I'm gonna be staying here for a little while with my boyfriend and help out a bit. I hope that you don't mind..." again, Shimasani didn't say a word, only staring at the tree she was sitting beside.

Jodie looked at the wool blanket that covered the woman and ran her hand over it gently. "This is beautiful. Did you make this yourself?"

The woman continued to stare at the tree, and was nearly as still as she remained unmoving. Jodie sighed before smiling at Shimisani again before standing up and moving over to one of the nearby benches to sit down.

JD smiled, seeing his lover trying to get the silent elder to open up. At the same time, Jay and Cory came over and sat around the tree as well. The younger boy offering Jodie something to eat that she accepted before looking toward him. "Hey, JD! Lunch?"

The psionic grinned, "Sure, just let me finish up first." he called back before making his way to the small stable where the sheep were kept.

"Put it down anywhere." Paul said as he moved about inside. "Thank's, JD."

"No problem." replied JD, "Anything else you need taken care of?"

The man shook his head, "Nah, it's lunch time. Go join Jodie and the boys if you're hungry."

"Aren't you coming too?" asked the psionic.

Paul shook his head, "Not yet. I still have work to do." he said before going back to shoveling hay around.

JD nodded before heading back outside and to where everyone was gathered. Cory holding out a metal bowl to him as he sat down beside Jodie and started to eat.

"Is it true your grandmother hasn't spoken in years?" Jodie asked, sending a look over at the silent woman across from them.

Cory nodded, "Yeah. My father said she hasn't said a word since my great grandmother died. That's gotta be...thirty years."

"Thirty years?" JD asked surprised. It was a very long time to go without speaking, Shimasani must have really suffered when her mother passed to go mute for so long. "It must be hard."

"It can be sometimes." said Cory while she smiled at his grandmother, "But she'll always be important to us, no matter what."

The psionic looked over at Shimasani, wondering what was going on inside her mind through everything that she had been through. His eyes narrowed a bit when he thought he saw her eyes flicker in his and Jodie's direction for a fleeting moment, but he put it off as a trick from the sunlight.

"Are there other Navajo ranches around here?" asked Jodie, deciding to change the topic of discussion.

"There used to be about fifty some years back." Cory answered again, "But now there's just us. The others got scared off-"

"The others decided to go live in the city." Jay interrupted, sending his little brother a sharp look that shut him down quickly. "Not everyone wants to live in the desert."

JD saw the looks exchanged, so did Jodie, but he was willing to voice his opinion. "So, people were scared off? This have anything to do with what we saw on the other side of the door last night?"

Jay looked uncomfortable, Cory just kept his eyes focused on his lunch. "I don't know what you're talking about." the older brother said calmly. "It was probably a dream you were having."

The psionic raised an eyebrow, "A dream? Maybe. I do dream a lot about Jodie here, but that was the first time you and your brother made an appearance in one." he said, not backing down.

"Like I said, I don't know what you're talking about." Jay said, the tone in his voice becoming defensive as he glared at JD. "Nothing like that happened."

"Then how do you explain the sheep?" the psionic said, motioning toward a lone sheep that had it's side ripped open by what must have been a set of claws. It was one of a couple of the animals that had suffered a similar fate brought on by whatever happened the night before.

"The storm." answered the older native. "They wander out of the pen and choke to death on the sand."

 _"...Maybe if the storm was throwing around razor blades."_ JD thought as Jay spoke up again.

"Do you guys always ask so many questions?"

"When we don't understand something...yeah." Jodie said with an almost 'duh' tone.

Jay set his bowl aside and stood up, "Yeah? How about if I started asking you questions? Where you come from? What you're doing here? Probably wouldn't like it, huh?" he said, stepping closer with each question.

JD was up and in Jay's face, the two of them identical in height and build as they glared at one another. "Try baring down on someone your own size." the psionic said steely, "You made your point...now back off."

Jay took a step back, maintaining the stare-down. "Keep your secrets to yourself, and don't ask anymore questions." he turned and headed off, muttering something about having more work to do.

JD slowly sat back down, "Sorry if I mean disrespect...but you're brother's an ass." he said to Cory who snorted in amusement.

"Don't mind him. He's okay when you get to know him." he stood up, collecting the empty bowls, "I guess I better get back to it, or Paw will get mad. Catch you guys later." the teen made his way back to the house to drop the dishes off before going in the same direction Jay had gone.

Now alone, Jodie turned to the psionic. "You shouldn't have pushed so hard. The last thing we need is for anyone here to be hostile to us."

"I know." JD said rubbing his face, "But you know as well as I do that they know what's happening. If we're staying here a while, then I think we should know more about something that attacks defenseless farm animals in the dead of night...That, and Jay was being a prick."

The couple finished their lunch before going back to work. The psionic approached Paul as he was chopping wood beside the house, pausing in his work to wipe sweat from his forehead. "Need a hand?" the younger man asked.

"Could use a break, if you don't mind." Paul replied, handing the axe to JD who set up another log on the block before cleaving it in two. "You and Jodie holding together alright?" he asked.

"No complaints." said the psionic as he cut another log, "Can't tell you how much we appreciate the kindness. Not a whole lot of that these days."

Paul nodded before furrowing his eyebrows, "If you don't mind me asking, what are the two of you doing this far out? Most folks tend to keep driving or find quicker routes."

JD had been expecting this kind of questioning, he and Jodie had worked together to come up with a type of script just incase to keep their real reasons secret. "Traveling cross-country. You don't see many good sights just by 'finding quicker routes'." he answered smoothly.

The older man chuckled, "Yeah, I can understand that. Honestly, seeing the two of you together, I almost took you both for a married couple." his words caused JD to pause a moment, "Just the way you are around each other, sorry if I'm overreaching."

"Nah, you're good. Jodie and I are together and have been for a while, but we're not married." said JD as he kept chopping.

"But you want to be." Paul said, causing the younger man to stop again. "I can see it in your eyes, son. The way you look at her and she looks back, like your connected on a deep level. I had the same look when I realized that my wife was the one."

The psionic lowered the axe and set the head on the ground, "Jodie and I..we've been through a lot together. Things that a lot of people wouldn't understand. It got to the point where the only people we felt we could trust was each other, understand each other...the only ones we can give everything to."

He turned and looked across the farm and saw Jodie in a fenced off area, her hand stroking a horse's mane with a smile on her face. Paul smiled himself as he saw the look on the younger man's face as he stared at the woman who clearly meant more to him than anything.

"I have to take care of a few other things. When you're all set with the wood here, there's a shower behind the barn you got the hay from if you want to use it." the native man said before heading off elsewhere.

JD went back to work, spending the next hour chopping and stacking wood beside the house. The physical labor was welcomed, even though he had gotten back into training again with Jodie every free chance they got it wasn't nearly as much compared to what they had been doing before.

By the time he finished, the psionic felt a pleasant strain in his arms and chest. Setting the axe against the wall and wiping sweat from his face, he decided to take up Paul's offer for a shower and headed in that direction.

Behind the large barn was a small watertower with a spout aimed above a circular shed made of metal with no roof. The walls where high, roughly ten feet, and the only way in was through a makeshift door on the far side that was half the height. Obviously all set up for privacy.

Stepping into the shed, JD stripped down and set his clothes and boots to the side to avoid them getting soaked before standing beneath the showerhead and pulling the chain attached. A sprinkle of cool water came down and he sighed in relief as he felt his heated skin start to cool down, his eyes closing as he let the world fade away as he relaxed.

A soft knock was heard on the metal door, causing his eyes to snap open and look to the side to see Jodie peering at him with a smile on her face.

"Never took you for a voyeur, Miss. Holmes." the psionic said with a grin.

"Kinda hard not too, considering." Jodie replied, doing nothing to hide the fact that she was looking him up and down. "Room for one more?"

"Do you even have to ask?" JD questioned back rhetorically as he let go of the chain, stopping the flow of water allowing his lover to enter and strip down as well. The two of them standing close together while JD pulled the chain again and restarting the water.

Taking the time to help her wash off the dirt and sweat, JD wrapped his free arm around Jodie's waist and held her close. As much as he wanted to show her how much of an affect her nude form had on him, it wasn't the best place to do so.

Though that didn't mean he wasn't reacting to it.

Jodie smiled when she felt something familiar pressed against her lower back. Turning around to face JD, she gave him a soft kiss before hugging him close. She too would have been more than willing had the circumstances been different, but for now she was content with things as they were.

Cutting off the water again as to not waste any more, the couple stood there together for a few moments longer. Simply enjoying the intimacy alone.

Sighing in content, Jodie opened her eyes...gasping sharply when she saw someone standing behind JD.

"What?" JD asked alarmed, looking over his shoulder and whipping around when he saw the same figure and putting himself between them and Jodie with his psychic aura flaring.

The person looked almost exactly like the ethereal spirit they had seen the night before, only it looked more solid, more _alive_.

When the couple blinked the figure was gone, almost as if they were never there. But on the wall behind where they had been standing a word had been scratched into the metal;

 **'Crown'**

JD approached the wall, running his fingers over the sheet metal and felt that it was indeed carved into it. Looking back at Jodie, who covered her breasts with her arms and was shivering a bit, they both shared the same thoughts as they quickly dried off and got dressed.

 **X**

That night after dinner, Cory was in the middle of telling a funny story when the wind started howling again. And just like the night before, the windows were boarded up and every one was quickly ushered to bed.

Despite trying to get more information out of Paul about what was happening, the couple were rebuffed. Being told that there was nothing they could do.

When everyone was in their rooms and the lights out, JD and Jodie looked toward the front door before looking to one another. Quietly, they opened the door and stepped outside.

The wind was whipping and biting cold. JD held out his hand, summoning a small barrier with his powers to keep the sand from blinding them as they stepped out into the yard. Something wasn't right, he, Jodie and even Aiden could feel it now.

"JD!" Jodie said softly, but loud enough to be heard as she grabbed the psionic's hand and pulled him down behind a rock. Seeing his questioning look, she motioned for him to look with her over the top and saw something...

Coming out of a wall of sand, a large, skeletal head with glowing yellow eyes appeared in the air above the house. A deep, demonic growl vibrated through the air as it leered down on the property.

All around them, ethereal beings of light suddenly appeared. Acting as guardians as the monstrous entity attempted to crush the house with long, smoke-like arms.

The creature's glowing eyes centered on the rock the couple had taken refuge behind, as if sensing them and howled.

"Oh fuck. RUN!" JD shouted, he and Jodie sprinting away from their cover as wind and sand kicked up like a hurricane around them. Jumping the fence into the horse enclosure, the psionic felt something scratch at his back but managed to keep running forward.

The stable on the otherside of the enclosure shook, chunks of wood coming loose and flying toward Jodie who barely managed to duck and roll under them.

Making a sharp left turn, they jumped over another fence and made a b-line for a small shed ahead of them. The large entity baring down on them from behind as a cluster of metal barrels were thrown at them from the front.

JD launched a psi-blast at the incoming barrels, crushing them and sending the debris into the wind as Jodie got the door open for them. The couple slamming the entrance shut as the powerful winds slammed into their shelter.

Huddling close together in one of the corners, they saw some of the boards in the wall ahead of them cave inward. JD had a split second to bring up a barrier as a large clawed hand made of shadow slammed into it. The impact sending the psionic slamming into the wall, splintering wood and causing sharp pain to flush along his back.

Another hand came through another wall, smashing against the barrier and sending JD splintering farther into his own. A third coming through the ceiling and dropping the psionic to a knee.

"J-Jodie! Ca-Can't hold!" he gritted out as their shelter was being ripped apart.

Jodie spun around and kicked the damaged wall behind them, a hole big enough for them breaking open. "Come on!" she shouted, jumping through the opening. JD dropped the barrier and quickly followed just as another shadow claw crushed the shed to splinters.

Back outside, the couple ran with everything they had. Dodging the entity's strikes as it came after them like a living tornado.

One of the claws shot out of the ground and grabbed Jodie's leg, taking her to the ground and attempting to drag her back. A psi-blast from JD broke the arm in half, causing the entity to roar in pain and fury as he helped her to her feet and they kept moving. Dodging debris and large pieces of the surrounding buildings until they found themselves surrounded. The entity high above them as a cluster of shadow claws came streaking down at them.

Gnashing his teeth, JD fired a barrage of psi-blasts at the incoming limbs. Destroying them before they could get within reach while he and Jodie dodged others.

Aiden aided as well, forming a barrier around the couple whenever a strike came too close to either of them. But the malevolent entity wouldn't give up, its attacks becoming more numerous and vicious...until several bright glows stopped it cold.

Jodie and JD blinked in shock as the same ethereal warriors from before appeared around them in a tight circle. Ghostly torches held in their hands that they used to burn away the shadows.

The attacking entity roared in anger, its form slipping back into the sandstorm as the air cleared away. The couple panting heavily as the warriors all looked to them before fading away.

Collapsing to his knees, adrenaline spent, JD felt the pain in his back much more clearly now. Jodie saw this and crawled over to him, seeing the back of his shirt with two long tears in it with deep scratches beneath that bled, along with several bruises from being slammed into the shed wall repeatedly.

"Hold on." she said, bringing Aiden forth and using their link to heal her lover. The scratches closing quickly and sealing, leaving two thin scars in their wake while the bruises faded away completely.

"What the fuck was that thing?" JD said shaking his head.

Before she could answer him, Jodie heard their names being called and looked up to see Paul, Jay and Cory running up to them.

"Thank god! I told you to stay in your rooms! You could have gotten killed!" Paul said, relieved that the young couple was alright but anxious at the same time.

"Paul, what is going on around here?!" Jodie demanded.

"You should have listened to me." the man said standing back up, "You should have stayed in your room-"

"Dammit Paul!" JD exclaimed, pulling himself up. "Tell us the truth! That damn thing is trying to kill your family!"

Paul was silent for several seconds, "It's Yé'iitsoh..." he said softly, his tone coming off as being afraid to even utter the word. "He wants blood. That's all he's interested in." He turned back to his guests, "We can't do anything about it. You can't fight a spirit."

Jodie shook her head, "Spirits don't live in this world. If he's here, there's a reason." she spoke seriously.

JD glared out over the desert, fists clenched with the knowledge that whatever had attacked them would be back...

And they needed to stop it.


	20. 19) Lifting the Curse

_**Yé'iitsoh...it was a name I recognized from a Native American culture class I took back in college in my first life. In Navajo, it means 'Big Giant', a creature from Earth's earliest history who thrived on killing to the point were humanity nearly went extinct. Only the appearance of two brothers, the children of gods, were able to vanquish him.**_

 _ **Or so the legends say.**_

 _ **It was one thing to study a Navajo Fairy Tale, but to see the thing, and**_ **feel** _ **its claws. Paul was still pretty tight-lipped about it, whatever this thing had done to the man's family it had been going on for long enough to form a deep seeded fear into his very soul. And with how Jay and Cory were as well, that fear carried on into his sons as well.**_

 _ **But they all obviously knew something about how to defend against it. The ashes beneath the windows were obviously part of some kind of native ritual to protect the family, and Jodie believed that the ethereal warriors we've encountered were tied to it.**_

 _ **Regardless of how much Paul wanted to keep us out of things, Jodie and I were knee-deep in it now. And our ghostly warrior friends had given us a clue.**_

 _ **The word 'Crown' that had been scratched into the wall of the shower we had been in.**_

 _ **It was the only lead, and if we were going to have any hope at helping the family that helped us we needed to start there...which led us into the hardest conflict we'd ever been in thus far.**_

 **X**

"That could have gone better." JD couldn't help but grumble to himself as he laid on his back staring up at the blue sky above. Jodie's laughter making him more embarrassed at the situation at hand.

"Cut me some slack, I've never been on a horse before." the psionic said as he sat up, looking up at Jodie as she stood beside the white and brown spotted horse he had just attempted to climb on.

"You going to be okay?" she asked, fighting off giggling at her boyfriend's plight.

JD stood, dusting himself off while stretching his back. "My pride's a bit sore, along with my ass. Other than that I'm good."

Jodie turned her attention back to the horse and pet its nose. "It's okay, Ashkii. We're all friends here." her voice was soft, relaxing the animal as she came around to the side and climbed onto the saddle with only a moment of difficulty due to her height.

She turned back as JD came up, a bit more hesitant before following her lead and climbing up and sitting behind her. After a moment or two to figure things out, Jodie had them moving out of the enclosure and over to where Jay was waiting for them on another horse.

"See, nothing to it." Jodie said while petting Ashkii.

"That horse is gonna have to tell me your secret." said Jay. "Listen, I'm headed over to the pasture to tend the churros. If you two want to tag along and give a hand you're more than welcome."

The couple nodded as they followed after him, JD keeping an arm around Jodie's waist as their ride kept up with their guide as they went almost a mile away from the ranch into the desert where another enclosure was set up. The churro herd bleated at the new arrivals but continued about their business as the trio dismounted their horses and sat down in the shade of a nearby tree.

No one said a word, but the couple had far too many questions to stay that way. The entity attack from the night before was still very fresh on their thoughts, along with what little Paul had told them about it. They needed answers.

"Jay," Jodie began. "I know you don't want to talk about it. But we really need to know what happened last night."

Jay looked to the dirt but didn't say anything, allowing Jodie to continue. "Your father knew the spirit. It's not the first time he's come, right?"

"Yé'iitsoh has always been here..." said the native solemnly. "It comes at night and steals souls. The old ones used to say, it's a curse. The price our tribe had to pay for living on these lands."

JD shifted from his spot on a nearby rock, "What about the spirits that helped us? They looked and acted like warriors, protecting the land."

"The guardian spirits." Jay replied. "My father says they've always protected the come at night to prevent Yé'iitsoh from killing us. I don't know if it's true, but Yé'iitsoh has never managed to get into our house."

He turned and addressed the couple, "My turn to ask you two some questions. What are you really doing out here in the middle of the desert? It feels like you're running away from something."

Jodie and JD looked to one another, both deciding that the family had been honest with them so far, it was only fair that they were honest as well.

"Trying to forget." Jodie said, her hand holding JD's. "Trying to make a new start. Running from our past."

"You're like us." Jay said with a hint of understanding. "You guys also have your dark secrets."

JD nodded, "We're not like most people, Jay. Unique. Most were afraid while others tried to use us. In the end, we're all each other has, the only ones we can honestly trust."

Before anything else could be said, Jay's walkie went off. The man stood and answered the call, speaking in his native language to his father for a few moments before turning to them. "Paw says there's no water at the ranch. Something must be up with the well. I'm gonna have a look on my way back."

"We can go take a look if you want." Jodie offered.

"Don't know if you guys will be able to do much." Jay replied with a shrug.

"You let us worry about that," JD said back while standing up. "Where's the well?"

Jay pointed off to the distance where a small windmill could be seen not too far from where they were standing. "Over there, with the windmill. Shouldn't be hard to find."

The couple climbed back onto Ashkii and made their way toward the well, when they were sure that they were far enough away they started talking.

"What do you think?" Jodie asked over her shoulder.

"Not sure. I remember something about Yé'iitsoh from a class project a few years back. I think it means 'Big Giant', a spirit that long ago used to hunt humanity to near extinction, until two native american demi-gods slayed him." replied the psionic.

"So we're dealing with an ancient entity?"

JD shrugged, "Hard to say. It's difficult to differ between facts and legends. And with Paul, Cory and Jay only telling us so much there's no way of knowing the full truth."

They arrived at the small windmill and dismounted, "There has to be something we can do for them. Not after the way entities have gone after us in the past." said Jodie.

"We'll figure something out." JD replied as he looked over the water system for the ranch. A basic set up, wind power used to help harvest the water and distribute it through underground pipes to the ranch. "There's the problem." he said pointing the windmill that showed to have debris stopping it from spinning. "Wind must have clogged it in there last night."

Jodie had Aiden float up and blast the debris from the windmill, the blades spinning almost instantly in the breeze. "Good work, Aiden." she said to the entity as she turned and gave a thumbs up to JD...

Jodie paused when she saw something. Someone standing a few meters away that turned and went behind a pile of dirt.

"What is it?" asked JD, turning to see what she had been looking at.

"I saw something. It...It looked like one of the warrior spirits we saw." his lover replied, jogging in the direction she had seen the warrior disappeared to with the psionic following after her.

The dirt pile, which they now discovered was a hut made from the Earth, had a door on it. Preparing themselves, the couple opened it slowly and stepped into the cool darkness within.

There wasn't much inside. An old fire pit fashioned to work like a stove with a few stones scattered about. The walls and ceiling, which were lined with wooden planks, had chimes and other handmade pieces hanging from them.

"Looks like this place has been around a while." JD said softly, running his fingers over a clay pot that was on the metal in the middle of the hut.

Jodie gently touched one of the chimes on the wall before she heard low whispering. Turning back toward the door, she saw orange light flickering against the surface. Slowly approaching the entrance, she pushed the door open only to gasp.

Outside it was now night. Dozens of teepees all around her were on fire. Bodies of native Americans and horses laid scattered on the ground, signs of battle.

The people here had been slaughtered.

Looking around in awe and horror, Jodie yelped when she was suddenly face to face with the same warrior that she had been seeing. Dark skin covered in white markings with a mask covering his face with a long bladed weapon in his hand.

Lowering the weapon, the warrior started carving into the dirt. Spelling out something before looking off to the side.

Following his gaze, Jodie had a split second to react as someone on horseback came flying at her. Throwing herself backwards in surprise as the vision blinked away, leaving her on the ground back in the daylight with the open desert before her once again.

"Jodie?!" JD called out, storming out of the hut and finding her sprawled out in the dirt. "What happened? You okay?" he asked, helping her back up.

"I...I saw..." she said, trying to wrap her head around what she had witnessed. "I saw a vision. The people here, the tribe, they were killed." Looking at the ground, she saw the word the warrior had been spelling out for her;

 **'Crown'**

The same word that had been carved into the shower wall yesterday, but this time it had an arrow pointing toward a cave opening in the rocks behind the hut.

"Looks like someone's leaving us a trail to follow." said JD. The couple got back onto their horse and went into the direction set before them. Entering the small cave system and following it all the way out to the other side that opened up to another wide expanse.

The trail led them to a set of ruins. Broken stones and wood planks that had to be over a century old where something big once stood.

Hopping off the saddle first, JD approached one of the crumbled walls and found a long piece of board covered in sand. Brushing the dirt away, he saw words that were long faded but still readable;

 **'Fort Crown'**

"It's an old Confederate base. Fort Crown." he said as Jodie came up to join him. "Guess we know what happened to the tribe in your vision."

"But why have we been brought here?" she asked, looking around for anything that stood out. Aiden echoed something to her and she was drawn to a small pile of stones where an old piece of a belt could be seen partially buried.

Focusing on their connection, Jodie found herself pulled into another vision;

 _Soldiers could be seen panicking, trying to find a place of hide as the darkness came alive and attacked them._

Blinking back to reality, she looked up to see JD kneeling beside her. "What did you see?" he asked, already knowing what she had experienced.

"An entity." she said, wiping her forehead. "It massacred the soldiers in the fort...I think it could have been Yé'iitsoh."

They stood back up and started searching more carefully. Jodie managed to locate a few more vision points that showed her the massacre from various angles, all of them done by the same entity.

"Got something!" JD called out as he crouched over an old saber. The blade long rusted with the tip broken off and the handle withered. Jodie sat by him and found it to be another vision catalyst;

 _"Come on! Show yourself, varmit!" the fort's commander bellowed, sword in hand as he watched his men get slaughtered all around him. Only to have the entity come out of the ground and slash him violently through the middle._

 _As the man fell, the entity flew away from the fort. Traveling a fair distance until it settled above an old tree with a fork in it._

Jodie gasped as the vision ended, pulling he hand away from the old weapon. "The old forked tree, like in my dream." she looked up at JD, "We have to find it."

The psionic nodded, grabbing a canteen that he had brought with them and handed it to her to take a drink before approaching their horse.

"Alright, sweetheart. Let's try this again." he said before climbing up onto the saddle and taking the reigns.

"Think you can handle it this time?" Jodie asked good naturally as he helped her up to sit behind him.

JD grinned, "Here's to hoping. Just point the way." he followed the same movements he had watched Jodie and Jay using before and was able to get Ashkii going nice and steady. Once he got the hang of it, the psionic got the horse moving much faster and found himself enjoying the rush almost as much as riding a motorcycle.

"I can get used to this." he couldn't help but say, causing Jodie to laugh.

They rode for several minutes, following along the path that had been revealed in the vision until they reached what was known as 'the devil's fork'. And there situated in the middle of the small valley was they same old tree Jodie had been seeing in her visions since they arrived here.

"This is it." she said as they dismounted. The two of them approached the tree and started looking for any sort of clue that could have been hidden there. They also covered the surrounding area, but nothing could be found.

"There's nothing here." Jodie said, running her hands through her hair in frustration.

JD continued to look, wincing a bit as a slight pressure was felt in his head. Trying to shake it off, he took a drink from their canteen when the feeling slowly slipped behind his eyes. Clenching them shut and putting a hand to his temple as it started to become too much.

When he opened them again...he gasped.

The whole world around him was a dull grey, the color seemingly leeched from everything with a strange haze filling the air. Whatever pain he had been feeling faded into nothing as he looked around himself.

"JD?" The psionic turned and looked at Jodie, once again surprised when he saw that she was shrouded in a light-blue aura. A small stream of similar colored energy attached to her chest led into the air where it connected to a shapeless cloud of aura that looked focused on him as well.

Jodie blinked when JD turned to her and saw his eyes glowing, his eyes shining a bright neon-blue as he looked at her in shock. "Are you okay? What's going on?"

JD saw her aura change to a pale-yellow, more than likely caused by her concern. "I...I think I got a new power." he said while trying to understand it. He caught another glow on the edge of his vision and looked at the ground.

A dull light was seen in the dirt, drawn in the shape of a stick-figure with a large circle surrounding it. Five points surrounding the marking glowing like beacons.

"There's something here." he said, dropping to his knees beside one of the beacons and starting to dig. Fingers digging up the dirt until he found something.

At the bottom of the hole he dug sat three items; a human skull, a mask, and a strange looking talisman. JD's new sight faded as he picked up the mask and talisman and showed Jodie, "I think this is what we're looking for."

Jodie looked at the items, "The warriors, they were wearing those ritual masks." she said before looking down at the skull. Reaching out, she touched the surface and found herself pulled into another vision of the one it belonged to being slain by the same entity that killed the men at the fort.

Her lover was right, this was what they were looking for.

Aiden picked up the same thing the psionic had and marked the other four areas. The couple separated and started digging at each one, finding the same three things in each site as the first. Pocketing the talismans they found somehow knowing of their importance.

At the final site there had been a skull and mask like the others...but no talisman which left them confused.

"You think someone else found it first?" asked JD.

Jodie furrowed her brows and picked up the mask that had been laid there;

 _Two warriors stood together beneath the forked tree. One of them handing a child wrapped in a blanket to the other while setting a talisman on the baby's chest._

"The fifth talisman." she said when the vision faded, "One of the warriors gave it to a baby. Quick, give me the others."

JD handed her the two talismans he had found, all four sitting in her hand as she and Aiden tried to bring forth another vision to see what happened.

She winced and stumbled a bit, "Dammit! It all went by too fast, I couldn't make anything out." she clenched her fist around the four pieces, "It was mixed up, like something was missing."

"Let's take them back to the ranch, maybe Paul can tell us something." JD said while looking back toward the house...his stomach dropping when he saw it. "JODIE!"

She snapped her head up and her face paled when she saw a familiar sandstorm making its way to the ranch. "I thought it only attacked at night?!" she exclaimed.

"Apparently Yé'iitsoh is clocking in early today!" JD shouted back as he jumped onto their horse, Jodie right behind him as they shot off toward the house. Hoping to get there in time to help.

 **X**

The couple had just arrived when they heard someone scream;

"PAW!"

Jumping off Ashkii, the horse running off to escape the storm, JD and Jodie ran to the front of the house where they found Cory kneeling beside Paul who was laid out on the ground with a horrible gash in his side.

"What the hell happened!" JD shouted over the wind while he and Jodie checked the man's condition.

"Yé'iitsoh! It came here in broad daylight!" the teen exclaimed in a panic. "We tried to get to the house, but Paw..."

Jay ran over and tended to their father, "Cory! Get the Car!" Cory ran over to the truck while the older brother attempted to help his father up, JD immediately taking Paul's other side to assist.

"It won't start, Jay! IT WON'T START!" Cory shouted when the engine wouldn't turn over.

"The entity's coming back." Jodie said, looking at the coming sandstorm and could make out the monstrous form dwelling within.

"Inside, NOW!" Jay bellowed as he and JD got Paul through the door.

"This may not be enough." the psionic said, making sure that their movements didn't agitate the older man's injury.

"Nothing else we can do. My dad said you can't fight a spirit." Jay stated as they moved to the hallway toward the bedrooms.

Jodie entered the house with Cory behind her, working on getting the windows sealed as she turned her attention to Shimasani. Her wheelchair sitting beside the closest window as she looked outside.

The younger woman's eyes were drawn to the blanket in the older woman's lap, "Wait. This blanket." she said kneeling to get a better look. "It's the one that was on that baby!"

"Mother gave it to me."

Jodie looked up and saw Shimasani looking back at her, "Like her mother, before. She also gave me this..." the elder opened her hand to reveal the missing talisman the couple had been looking for.

 **X**

Jay and JD laid Paul on his bed, the man's face already pale from shock and loss of blood. "He needs a hospital!" Jay said before running out of the room.

Watching him leave, the psionic immediately went to Paul's wounded side and checked the damage more closely.

It was bad. The damage was deep and bleeding freely. The older man wouldn't survive much longer, even if the entity just outside wasn't coming down on them.

"You're not leaving your boys just yet, old man." JD said, his psychic energy flowing along his arms to the palms of his hands as he hovered them over Paul's wound.

 **X**

Taking the fifth talisman in to her hand, combining it with the four others, Jodie closed her eyes and focused. Aiden helping her connect to the vision they all provided;

 _Five warriors sat kneeling around in a circle by the forked tree, a fire in the middle with the outline carved in the dirt as they all chanted something together._

 _When the chant came to an end, a rift was opened above the ritual circle. The warriors stumbled back in alarm as an entity pulled itself free and escaped into the living world._

Jodie gasped as she came back, looking back up at Shimasani. "Your ancestors. They summoned Yé'iitsoh here."

The elder nodded slowly, "They were lost. Full of hatred for the white man. They bring spirit to kill their enemies and gain revenge. But he turned against them. He was still hungry...hungry for blood. Yé'iitsoh is back, he's come to take our lives."

 **X**

JD kept pouring more and more energy into Paul's body. His eyes closed as he maintained as much focus as possible. It was worse than he thought.

From what he could sense, the gash reached the man's liver and broke two ribs as well. The psionic focused on mending the vital organ first before moving onto the bones, then the muscle and skin tissue while making sure he didn't lose more blood at the same time.

He'd never healed something so grievous before, but he didn't have the luxury of not trying. Grunting with exertion, the aura around JD grew brighter as he poured more into healing.

 **X**

"Your ancestors, they're the guardians who protect the house, right?" asked Jodie.

"They know they were wrong," answered Shimasani. "So they returned to protect us from the evil that they released."

"If they brought this entity here, I mean, there's gotta be some way to send it back to its own world." said Jodie.

The elder nodded, "They used a ritual to open the passage. I still remember the incantation, but the ritual is lost in the past."

Thinking back to her vision, Jodie stood, "I remember it. I saw the ritual in my vision! I can prepare it if you can help me with the incantation!"

"Hurry! He is coming!" Shimasani said desperately while the younger woman ran to the back of the house where JD went.

"JD!" she entered Paul's room and found her boyfriend glowing as he worked at saving Paul's life. The aura fading as he stumbled back and sat against the wall. Jodie went over and saw unmarked skin beneath the bloody and torn shirt the older man wore. "Is he...?"

The psionic gave a thumbs up while he breathed deeply, "He's fine. Though I don't know what good it'll do with Yé'iitsoh knocking at the door."

"That's why I came!" Jodie said, "Shimasani, she had the last talisman! Her ancestors, the five warriors, they performed a ritual to summon Yé'iitsoh here. We can send it back! We just need to prepare the ritual again while she does the incantation!"

JD looked at her surprised, steeling himself before staggering back to his feet. "Then what the hell are we waiting for?"

The couple quickly exited the house, wind and sand whipping wildly around them as the entity drew closer to the ranch.

"JD, make a fire!" Jodie instructed. JD nodded as he grabbed up some logs he had been cutting the day before along with a small can of gasoline by the door. Getting a ways from the house, he quickly stacked the wood and dosed it before pulling a dented zippo lighter from his pocket.

"Come on. Come on!" he gritted, trying to light it while the wind kept putting it out. "Fuck this." the psionic held out his hand and made a small barrier to block out the wind, sparking the lighter and igniting the fire.

"What the hell are you guys doing?!" Jay shouted, noticing the couple while he and Cory had been trying to barricade their home. "We gotta get inside! The storm is coming!"

"Trust us!" Jodie shouted back, using a large stick to draw the same stick-figure marking she had seen in her vision around the fire JD had made.

"Leave them be, Jay!" both native boys looked to the door to their house to see Shimasani in the threshold.

"Shimasani?" Cory said in shock at hearing their grandmother speak. "You...You can talk?!"

Jodie quickly finished the sign and fished out the talismans, placing one at each point of the figure she'd drawn in the dirt. "It's ready!" She shouted, "Now each of you needs to stand next to a talisman! There MUST be a soul attached to each one!"

JD ran over and stood at the one beside Jodie, Cory on her other side with Jay across from him and Shimasani at the head of the circle. "That's it! Shimasani! Start the incantation!" the young woman shouted as the winds got stronger and more violent.

The elder started chanting, her volume getting louder and louder with each word spoken in the language of her ancestors.

Above the fire, the sparks came alive and came together before a rift was torn open in the air over their heads.

"The passage is open, Jodie! You did it!" Shimasani called out.

A furious roar shook the air. Yé'iitsoh came barreling out if the sandstorm straight toward them, forcing the group to dive out of the way to avoid getting killed.

JD summoned his power and blasted the entity as it came back around, around him, the five guardian spirits came into existence and also fought back against Yé'iitsoh. All of them forcing it back toward the rift.

The entity found itself ensnared in the opening and was being sucked back to where it had been summoned, but it fought back against the pull. Claws attempting to grab anything it could.

"AIDEN HELP THEM!" Jodie screamed, the good entity joining the fray as he, JD and the guardians fought to seal Yé'iitsoh.

Seeing its grip weakening, JD charged as much psychic energy that he could and focused it all into his hands as he glared at the evil entity. "GO BACK TO HELL YOU BASTARD!" with that he thrust both hands forward, unleashing a powerful psi-blast that struck Yé'iitsoh with devastating force. Sending the monster hurdling into the rift as it shrieked once more in defiance before vanishing completely.

An small explosion followed the rift closing, sending all those standing crashing to the ground as the air suddenly became still. The storm dying the moment Yé'iitsoh disappeared, leaving the skies clear and sun shining.

Jodie sat up, rubbing her head as she looked around, her gaze falling on JD who was laid out not to far from her. "JD?" she crawled over and found her lover out cold, having used most of his power to heal Paul, then using even more to contain the entity taking a harsh toll on him.

"JD? she asked again, touching the side of the psionic's face.

A few feet away, Jay and Cory were checking on their grandmother who had been knocked from her wheelchair.

But the elder was motionless, her life already passing onto the next.

"SHIMASANI!" Cory's voice cried out through the land.

 **X**

 _ **Yé'iitsoh had been sent back to where it came from...but at a price.**_

 _ **Shimasani gave what was left of her life to fix the error of her ancestors, cleansing her people's land of the curse and making it safe for future generations.**_

 _ **It was awe inspiring, and very tragic at the same time.**_

 _ **When the dust finally settled and the family was given the time to mourn their loss, we were questioned about who we were. Not surprising, given what Jodie and I pulled off at the ritual and how Paul was fully healed given how injured he was.**_

 _ **So we told them to truth. I showed them my abilities while Jodie introduced Aiden. Needless to say they were surprised, but at the same time thankful for all that we had done for them.**_

 _ **Jay even apologized for the way he acted in the beginning, but we made sure to let him know there was no hard feelings.**_

 _ **About a day after banishing Yé'iitsoh, Paul and his sons told us they were going to bury Shimasani, and invited us to attend. Jodie and I were more than happy to be there, the elder was wise and very brave, she deserved a proper send off to the next life by her family.**_

 _ **Though it seemed the desert had one last surprise for us in the end.**_

 **X**

"No white man has ever been to the place I'm taking you." Jay said from his horse ahead, leading the couple through a large valley miles from the ranch. "My people have been burying their dead there for many hundreds of years. For us it's sacred land."

"We'll do what we can to respect it." said JD from the back of his own horse while Jodie rode Ashkii beside him.

After taking a day to recover from the events of the ritual, and after informing the native family about their unique abilities, the duo were asked to attend Shimasani's funeral.

They both felt obligated, and honored to attend. The woman gave her life to banish Yé'iitsoh, it was only proper to ensure she was with her ancestors, which was why they were following Jay to the site she would be laid to rest.

Reaching the end of the valley and finding two other horses there, meaning Cory and Paul was ahead of them. The trio dismounted their rides and approached the cave entrance ahead of them. Jodie taking a moment to remove the woven blanket that Shimasani had that she said was passed down to her and bring it along.

Contained within where the bones of the warriors who had been placed at the forked tree, brought to be laid to rest as well.

The cave within had an open ceiling, allowing sunlight to shine down from above onto the burial site that had a couple of trees and patches of grass scattered about. A large carved totem stood proud in the center with a series of large branches reaching up from each location where a member of the tribe was buried.

The moment they stepped within the sacred land, Jodie and JD felt as if there were many presences around them. As if the eyes of the deceased were upon them and granting them passage.

Paul, Cory and Jay stood at the site where Shimasani was to be buried. The elder laying in the recently dug grave with her arms crossed, looking peaceful.

Jodie carefully set the blanket down within the grave. "These are the bones of your ancestors." she said softly. "I'm sure they would have wanted to be buried alongside their own people."

JD wrapped an arm around her waist as they all said a silent prayer for the elder. Cory reached for the shovel, but the psionic stopped him.

"It would be an honor." he said honestly, wanting to give the teen more time to pray along side his father and brother for his grandmother.

Cory nodded and went back to praying as JD started to gently bury Shimasani. Being as respectful as he could for the elder and her family.

When it was done, everyone started to leave in silence. Jodie stayed, tears slowly cascading from her eyes. A hand on her back had her attention drawing to her lover who pulled her into an embrace. No words needing to be spoken as they stood there holding each other.

The last couple of days had been a lot on them, emotionally and spiritually. It was finally starting to catch up with them, and they needed this moment.

Offering her comfort, JD opened his eyes and blinked when he saw someone watching them from a ledge above them on the farthest cave wall. Feeling him tense, Jodie turned in his arms and saw the same thing.

It was a tribal warrior, the same one that had been leading them throughout their time here.

The masked spirit turned and disappeared into a smaller cave located behind the ledge, and unspoken hint to follow.

"Guess they're not done with us yet." JD said as they approached the rock wall, a series of ledges leading up to the cave. The couple making the climb with little to no trouble.

Crouching low, they entered the small opening and found themselves in the dark. Jodie took out a box of matches and lit one to give them some light...what the couple found was the walls covered in drawings. Old markings made more than likely made by the tribe long ago, each one depicting some event that happened in the past.

"...JD..." The psionic came up beside Jodie as she looked at one of the drawings, this one different than the others as it showed two individuals standing side by side. One of them was shown surrounded by aura with a circle in each hand, while the other was attached to something resembling a spirit with a cord connecting them.

Keeping their eyes locked on the image, Jodie and JD's hands reached out and held one another.

 **X**

 _ **Before I died, I never took stock in myths, legends and destiny. Visiting the Archangel of Destiny before being reborn helped me become believer.**_

 _ **But seeing the ancient mural on the wall of that cave though? It put a whole different shine on everything. Making me realize that there was much more to those beliefs then I ever thought about before.**_

 _ **One would say that it was eye opening.**_

 _ **When Jodie and I finally got back to the ranch, we stuck around for another couple of days before deciding it was time to move on. Paul and Jay gave us an old motorcycle that was being kept in the barn, fixing it up and putting gas in it along with a couple home cooked meals.**_

 _ **Thanking them all for everything, we set off back on the road. A bit more open minded given our recent experiences.**_

 _ **It was anyone's guess on where things will take us from here.**_


	21. 20) Norah

_**A lot can happen in a year.**_

 _ **Neither Jodie or I could really believe that was how much time had passed since we went on the run. But we had managed to avoid being caught that entire time. There had been close calls, but we maintained our freedom.**_

 _ **We remained in the US, unable to cross either the Northern or Southern boarders without setting off alarms all over, but kept out of sight. Stayed in less public areas and kept mostly to ourselves to avoid being found out.**_

 _ **Every so often we would settle in one place a while, one or both of us working to keep steady funds. But nothing was ever perminent. We were still wanted fugitives, and would remain that way even if the CIA's attempts had backed off some.**_

 _ **In the end, however, we were getting tired.**_

 _ **Tired of running, hiding and constantly looking over our shoulders. Even though we were managing, I could see the how hard the last months had been on Jodie. I'd been managing, but I hated to see her struggling no matter how well she hid it from me.**_

 _ **She'd had been having more and more visions about her birth mother, as if something was trying to pull her someplace where she might be. We'd talked several times about it, and after a while she managed to wear me down and convince me to help her find the answers that she had become desperate for.**_

 _ **After all that has happened, I think she more than deserved that much.**_

 _ **It took some time, but she had managed to get into contact with Cole. To say the man was surprised to hear from either of us would have been an understatement. And after a bit of convincing, Jodie managed to get him to look into any information regarding her mother and to meet us in a local park.**_

 _ **He agreed without a second thought.**_

 _ **I love Jodie with everything I am, I'd do anything to make her happy...even if it meant walking right back into the lion's den we'd spent that last 12 months avoiding.**_

 **X**

Autumn was in full swing, the leaves on the many trees an array of yellows, oranges and reds with some falling to the ground in the cool breeze.

The park had very little people in it at this time of day, Cole Freeman couldn't help but realize the time he was told to meet here wasn't an accident.

The man had been living with a weight on his shoulders ever since he heard Jodie and JD fled the CIA and became wanted fugitives. He didn't understand the whole situation, but he had gotten enough bits and pieces to put enough together.

Part of him hated Nathan for allowing the government to swoop in and take the kids, another hated the CIA for forcing them that basically turned them into assassins, but a smaller part also made him hate himself. For letting them down and not doing right by them, like he always promised he would.

The memories of two little kids, smiling brightly at him filled him with happiness and guilt every day.

"Cole?" The man was brought out of his thoughts by a soft, feminine voice. He looked to his right, a few feet down the path, and was greeted with the sight of a young woman with long brown hair dressed in jeans and a black sweater beneath a brown jacket.

It took him a moment or two, but he grinned when he realized who it was.

"Jodie!" Cole said breathless as he pulled the young woman into a hug, "My little princess." he pulled back and got a better look at her, "Look at you! Oh my god, what a beautiful young woman you've become! Just as pretty as ever...a little sad, and lost...like the first time I saw you."

Jodie smiled, fighting back tears as she did so, "You can't even imagine how much I've missed you."

Cole looked around a moment, "And...how's Aiden?"

His response was a soft echo from above their heads.

"Good to see you too, buddy." Cole looked around again and settled back on Jodie in confusion. "JD?"

"He's here." Jodie replied "Walk with me?" her former guardian nodded as they walked side by side down the path.

"I take it he's still mad, huh?" he asked, referring to the missing psionic.

Jodie shook her head, "He's being cautious. Making sure that no one tries to grab us." she looked up at the man beside her, "He trusts you, Cole. That never changed."

Cole nodded again, "Yeah, he was always a stubborn one. But always protective of you. Guess that's one of the things I never had to worry about when you two got together." he looked at his former charge, "Are you guys still...?"

"We're still together." she replied with a smile, "We've been mistaken for husband and wife a lot."

"I can imagine." the researcher replied with a chuckle, both of them lapsing into silence a moment.

"How's Nathan?" Jodie asked.

"Oh, he's the big boss now." replied Cole. "He's running the DPA. He's come a long way since the days of our little lab."

"And you? What are you working on?" she questioned, wanting to know how much had changed since she and JD had gone on the run.

The man smiled, "I'm running a small group. We're trying to classify the types of entities, see if there are different species, that kind of thing. It's not the highest priority, but I get to do what I want, so..."

Jodie nodded, "Have they made any progress on the Infraworld?"

"Oh, they've sunk millions into developing a new condenser," replied Cole, "The most powerful ever created. Of course, that was only possible once the army got involved."

They walked for another few minutes before coming to a stop, making sure that no one else was around to hear them. "What I talked to you about," Jodie began, all serious now, "Did you find out anything?"

Cole sighed, knowing that this conversation was coming, "On the day you were born, a woman named Norah Gray had a child in the DPA hospital. Her child was declared stillborn."

"What else did you learn about her?" Jodie pressed, already becoming a little overwhelmed by the new revelations.

Cole shook his head, "Not much. All I know is that she took part in a DPA research program some twenty years back. She also had a gift."

"And the father?"

"His name was Jonathan Nichols." replied her former guardian. "He died before the birth. Heart failure. That's all I could find."

Jodie wrapped her arms around herself, the wind around them starting to pick up. "Where's Norah now?"

"She was interned in a psychiatric hospital." said Cole, "Just after she gave birth. According to her file, she should still be there now."

"My mother's been in a mental hospital for 24 years?!" the young woman said in shock, "I mean, why? What happened?"

Cole gently held her arms, "That's all the file said, I'm so sorry."

Jodie shook her head, "I've gotta go see her." she turned to leave but her former guardian stopped her.

"Jodie, I know how you feel, but she's in a mental hospital. You might not get the answers you're looking for."

"I'm not looking for answers." Jodie threw back. "I just need to SEE her. I mean, don't you understand? She's my MOTHER. If I look her in the eye I could find out who I truly am."

Cole shook his head, "Jodie, she's in a high security DPA facility, and you're wanted by every law enforcement agency in the country. You won't be able to walk right in."

Jodie looked back at the man, and he could already tell there was no changing her mind. "Nothing is gonna stop me from seeing her." she took a few steps away before turning back to him, "Look, you've taken a huge risk helping me. Thank you, Cole."

The two hugged before Jodie started to walk away again.

"Hey!" she stopped and looked back at Cole who was smiling knowingly at her, "You didn't think I was going to let you go alone, did you?"

"Now that sounds like the Cole we know."

The researcher looked behind him and was met with a young man who stood as tall as he did wearing worn jeans and a grey hoodie under a black bomber jacket, a head of short dark hair covering his head with a five o'clock shadow.

"JD, jeez you've gotten huge." Cole said recognized him almost immediately, even without the three distinct scars on the side of his head that were barely hidden.

JD grinned at the man before pulling him into a hug that knocked the wind out of him. "...and stronger too..." the researcher wheezed, causing Jodie to laugh. Cole sobered up when the embrace ended and turned serious, "JD, I'm sorry about what happened. When Nathan told me you guys ran-"

"Cole." the psionic said, cutting him off, "I don't blame you for any of it, nether Jodie or I did. It took me a while to forgive Nathan even a little since he knew that they were taking us. But I know full well that you would have never let them take us if you had a say in it."

Cole smiled a silent thank you as Jodie came up beside JD and held his hand. The older man smiled even wider at the interaction, "So...you two don't have any kids hiding around, do you? Cause I don't think my heart can take that much excitement."

Both young adults' faces burned, Jodie burrowing her face into her lover's side while JD rolled his eyes, "Same old Cole."

 **X**

It took a bit of time, but after Cole found out the location of the DPA facility that was holding Norah Gray they all waited for the cover of darkness before making a go at it.

Sitting in Cole's car outside the 'St. John's Hospital', rain pouring down around them, the trio looked the building over with critical eyes before the researcher voiced his concerns;

"I don't like this, guys. No guard at the gate, empty parking lot, something doesn't feel right."

JD observed their surroundings, agreeing with the older man's assessment. If this place was part of the DPA, then there should have been security in place to keep people out.

"If we're not back in 30 minutes," Jodie spoke, "Just go. No reason for you to get caught up in this too."

Cole looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "Girl, I ain't come here to wait in no car." before either of the duo could speak he was out of the car and making his way to the entrance.

"Yep, still the same old Cole." said JD, reaching under his jacket and taking out the 1911 pistol he'd had for some time now. Chambering the first round in the clip and making sure the safety was on before holstering it back where it belonged. Really hoping he didn't have to use it or his powers tonight, but he would if it meant getting them out of there.

"Ready?" he asked, getting a nod from Jodie as they stepped out into the rain and made their way to the building. Cole waiting for them by the door as they stepped inside the warm, dry reception area.

"Try the polite approach, gets 'em every time." Cole whispered to the couple as they approached the front desk.

"Hey, erm, I'm here to see Norah Gray." said Jodie kindly.

The man running the desk looked up from his computer at their arrival then stood slowly, "Can I see your authorization?" he said, all business.

"We're friends of the family, it's been a while since we were last here and wanted to check in on her and her treatment." said JD, hoping to play on the man's, hopefully, kinder nature.

The receptionist shook his head, "I'm sorry. All visitors must have the correct authorization."

Knowing that they weren't getting anywhere, and not wanting to waste more time, Aiden flew down from his place above them and into the man running the desk. The possession taking hold almost instantly as the man's eyes rolled over white before he reached down and hit the switch to activate the elevator.

Seeing that the the receptionist was under control, Jodie smiled. "Good work, Aiden. Can you find out what floor and room she's on?"

The possessed man started typing on the computer, Norah's name coming up;

"Level 7, Room 43. Let's go." said JD as he, Jodie and Cole got into the elevator and hit the proper floor number. Aiden left the receptionist's body the moment the doors closed and the lift started to rise.

"So far, so good." said Cole as they arrived at the proper floor and stepped off. JD held up his hand, stopping the others while his eyes began to glow.

The world around him turned to a hazy, dull grey and the aura of those living around him became visible. Through the wall beside the elevator, he could see someone with a calm aura sitting just out of sight.

Deactivating his 'aura vision', the psionic looked to Jodie and Cole and motioned that there was someone on guard around the corner.

Nodding, Jodie mentally ordered Aiden to distract the guard and open the sealed door leaving to the rest of the floor. The entity making quick work of damaging a nearby electrical box and shutting off the lights, causing the man on duty to investigate and giving him time to open the door for the others to pass.

Possessing an orderly that had been sleeping down one of the halls to grant them further passage, then knocking the man out while leaving his keycard, the trio continued down the hall of patient rooms.

"Ah, Jesus." Cole muttered, hearing the moaning of the various patients around them. "Crazy people freak me out."

"Relax, Cole." said JD as they kept searching for the right room. "We're just gonna find Norah, Jodie can get what she needs, then we're gonna leave. Easy."

After another minute of searching, they stood infront of room 43. Jodie putting her hand on the handle and hesitating with the knowledge that she was about to meet her mother for the first time.

"I'll wait here." said Cole, "Jodie. She...she may have lost her mind...She might not even know you're there." the girl who was once his charge looked back at him. "Maybe you shouldn't go in..."

JD put a hand on her shoulder, silently telling her that he would be right beside her no matter what choice she made.

Steeling her resolve, Jodie opened the door and quietly stepped over the threshold. Her boyfriend right behind her, closing the door behind him as they entered the small room.

The space was mostly bare. Only a hospital bed, a lamp, a desk and a chair as far as furniture went.

And in the corner, seated motionless in a small green armchair and hooked up to a monitor with an IV drip, was a woman who looked to be in her forties dressed in blue scrubs.

She was pale, her face gaunt and dark hair listless. But JD immediately saw the resemblance between her and Jodie...but there was also something else. The psionic felt as though he had seen this woman somewhere else before.

"Mom?" Jodie said, almost in a whisper. "Mom, it's me, Jodie." she knelt down infront of the woman who only continued to stare straight ahead, making no motion that she had heard her daughter.

Waving her hand infront of Norah's face, Jodie reached out and took her hand gently in her own. "I'm your daughter..." she said softly, tears running down her face as she placed the hand against her cheek. "I'm your daughter."

JD felt his heart constrict at the scene before him, part of him feeling as though he was encroaching on a moment he had no right to be in. That is until Jodie looked back at him a moment before going back to her mother.

"I...I brought someone else with me too." she held her hand out toward him and he stepped to her side and knelt beside her. "This is JD. We've known each other a long time and been through a lot together."

The psionic looked up at the comatose woman and held her other hand, "It's nice to meet you, Miss. Gray. Your daughter has come a long way to meet you. She's an amazing person."

The three of them sat in silence, the soft beep of the heartrate monitor the only noise heard in the small room. Jodie looked up at the air where Aiden was looking on silently. "Please...help me, Aiden."

"..." the entity echoed softly to his host, knowing what she was asking.

JD gently gave the hand he was holding to his lover and squeezed her shoulder. "I'm going to be right beside you."

Jodie squeezed her mother's hands as Aiden manipulated their energies, and sent his host into Norah's mind.

 **X**

 _Norah sat in the center of an exam room, staring intently at a cup set out on the table before her with great intensity._

 _Slowly, the cup started to shake before being moved several inches back making her smile._

 _"Well done, Norah!" a man in the observation room praised._

 _The scene changed to show Norah, holding her stomach. Rounded and extended with child._

 _"The mother and the father, both 'gifted'. Do you realized how important this baby is?!"_

 _Another scene change, Norah sitting in a dark room and holding her unborn child._

 _"You won't be able to, Norah. Let us take care of everything. It's for the best, you know that._

 _The scene changed again, this time after Norah had given birth._

 _"But...But...she's my BABY! Bring her back! I've changed my mind! I want my baby!" Norah screamed after the doctors who took her child from her the moment she started crying._

 _"Sedate her! Get the baby out of here!" the doctor ordered as the lights around them started flickering._

 _"Please! I want to see her!" the new mother screamed, "Please, please let me see her! I want my child!"_

 _A syringe was stuck in her arm as the scene changed again, this one showing the Holmes' as they held the newborn little girl between them._

 _"She may develop some...'special' abilities. Let us know as soon as anything unusual happens."_

 _The scene changed again, showing Norah in the same hospital room sitting motionless._

 _"Increase the dose. Make sure she never regains consciousness."_

 **X**

Jodie exited the vision with a loud gasp, JD barely had a moment to put his arms around her when she burrowed her face into his neck and started sobbing. Hands fisting his jacket, desperately using him to keep her anchored as the torrent of the emotions rippled through her from what she bore witness to.

The psionic didn't say a word just yet, whatever she had seen had a much bigger impact than anything they first believed. All he could do was hold her and offer strength where he could.

"They...They locked her up here." Jodie said through her tears. "The DPA...they did the same tests they did with us to her, and when she got pregnant...they convinced her to give me up. And when she wanted to get me back...they put her here. Drugged her until she couldn't move."

She looked toward her mother, "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry. It was my fault!"

"No, Jodie it isn't!" JD exclaimed, pulling back enough to look her in the eye. "The only ones to blame are the ones who put your mother here. The ones who took you away from her in the first place. You're a victim, just like she is. Don't EVER think any of this is on you."

Jodie shuttered a breath and embraced the psionic again.

"..."

"What is it, Aiden?" asked Jodie when the spirit spoke.

"..."

The spirit spread his influence out around them, JD's aura vision activating as well as the duo found themselves surrounded by shadows, their focus on a single light of aura that was covered in a writhing black mass.

The couple didn't know what to think, but a feeling of releasing whoever was beneath the scourge was strong.

"Aiden, break it!" Jodie shouted. The entity howled as he started breaking off the blackness covering the aura.

JD charged his psychic energy and fired low-powered psi-blasts into the mass as well, the two combining their strength until the scourge was destroyed, revealing Norah Gray standing there before them all.

"M-Mom?" Jodie said, not believing her eyes.

Norah smiled, "My little girl!" Jodie ran forward to embrace her...only for her arms to pass through her form.

Her mother smiled sadly as she reached out and held her daughter's cheek, "I was so afraid I would never see you again. I've missed you so much, Jodie...I've missed you so much.

"What happened." Jodie whimpered, "What did they do to you?"

"The drugs they gave me...tapped me in this hell." said Norah, "There's nothing...nothing I can do. Only to wait for it to end."

Jodie shook her head, "No, I'm gonna...I'm gonna get you out of here! JD and I, we can help you!"

Her mother shook her head, "Its too late, Jodie. It's too late." she gave a broken smile, "I love you, more than anything else in the world. Nothing will ever change that."

Norah looked past Jodie to JD who stood silently as mother and daughter spoke. "Johnathan...please, take care of my little girl. And always love her."

The psionic nodded his head, "I will, ma'am."

Norah smiled and looked back at Jodie before her attention snapped to the air around them, the same shadow-like scourge that covered her returned. Covering her body completely.

"MOM!" Jodie screamed, only able to watch as her mother's aura was locked away once again. Breaking down in tears as JD came up and held her, the two of them appearing back in the waking world in Norah's room.

Taking a moment to collect what little of herself she could, Jodie reached out and carefully unclasped the necklace around her mother's neck. A gold heart-shaped locket with a lone diamond in the center that she put around her own neck beside the star pendant JD had given her.

"We can't leave her like this." she said, turning to her boyfriend who understood where she was going.

Pulling her back into his arms, keeping her face held gently held to his shoulder, the psionic looked up toward Aiden. "Aiden..." he said, doing what he knew Jodie should never have to do.

The entity echoed sorrowfully as he drifted down to the comatose woman, using his astral form to reach into her chest and disrupt her heartrate. The monitor beside her went erratic for a long minute before flat-lining. Norah seemed to smile before her head fell to the side.

Keeping Jodie close while she cried, JD reached forward and gently closed the woman's eyes before leading his lover to the door.

 _"I'll always be there...for the both of you."_ the psionic paused, as did Jodie when they heard a soft voice whisper in their ears.

Arm around Jodie's shoulders, with one of her arms around JD's waist, the couple opened the door and stepped out into the hall...

Coming to an abrupt stop when they saw six CIA agents with shotguns drawn and aimed at them. Cole in the middle with his hands behind his head with an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry guys..." he said, not meeting their gaze.

JD reached for his pistol, but the barrel of an assault rifle was pressed to the side of his head. The agent reaching behind him and removing the 1911 as another came up and slammed the weapon into his stomach, knocking him to the floor before tazing him.

A different agent up and hit Jodie on the side of the head. Their days of running coming to an abrupt end...

They'd been caught.


	22. 21) One Final Offer

_**...**_

 _ **Being honest, I pretty much knew that this would happen. Even with mine and Jodie's abilities and training, there was really no conceiveable way for us to get out of the DPA hospital without issues.**_

 _ **Getting caught was definitely one of them.**_

 _ **But I didn't blame Jodie for it. I couldn't. Especially not after seeing the way she was after meeting her mother for the first time and realizing what the woman had been put through at the hands of the government.**_

 _ **I couldn't help but think that it was the same fate that would happen to us now that we'd been captured.**_

 _ **Surprisingly, that wasn't the case...this time at least.**_

 **X**

Groaning as she awoke, Jodie held a hand to the side of her head where a dull ache was still pulsing.

Sitting up slowly, she found herself on a leather couch in the middle of a large office. Various pieces of art, a couple trees in various corners of the room along with a massive bookshelf covering one of the walls adding a strange ambiance.

Finding a glass of water sitting on the table beside her, Jodie picked it up and took a quick drink before standing to get a better look at her surroundings.

Whoever owned this room must have been important. It wasn't difficult seeing all the various items and equipment in it.

On the wall behind the workstation to her immediate left was a large screen that showed images, video and an array of data readouts on something that seemed vital to something.

After looking over the desk itself, Jodie's mind finally caught up with her about what had happened leading up to this point.

The hospital, her mother, the CIA cornering them...

"JD!" she said, looking around the room again and finding no sign of her lover anywhere.

Making her way quickly to the door leading out of the office, she stepped out into a corridor on the other side. A loud hum in the air drawing her attention toward a window that overlooked something...something massive, and powerful.

Through the glass, Jodie saw what could only be described as a small sun with a black core that had long tendrils of energy flowing freely from it. She was in awe...but also felt fear at such a specticale.

"The most powerful condenser ever created."

She spun around, hearing the familiar voice and found herself face to face with an older, more stern looking Nathan Dawkins.

"Impressive, isn't it?" he asked, looking out at the doorway between the human world, and the Infraworld.

"Nathan!" Jodie said breathlessly as she ran up and hugged the man.

"Jodie. It's good to see you." Nathan replied, returning the embrace. "I was so afraid something happened to you." he added while looking her over, "You've lost weight. And you look exhausted...but at least you're alive."

Jodie smiled before remembering why she had come out here, "Where's JD?"

Nathan's smile became smaller, "He's here in the facility. Don't worry, he's safe." he motioned back to the door she had come out of, "Come, let's go in my office to talk."

Going back into the room Jodie had woken up in, the two of them each took a seat beside each other.

"How are you feeling?" asked Nathan.

"Ahm, I've been better." Jodie replied, rubbing her head where a small knot could be felt beneath her hair, "That bump to the head didn't do me any favors."

"Ah! I'm sorry...I told them not to hurt either of you," replied the new head of the DPA. "They just didn't want to give you a chance to use Aiden and JD to use his powers."

"Where's Cole?" asked the young woman, wondering about her former guardian who got caught helping them.

"He's at home, safe. I know he was trying to help you. Don't worry, there won't be any consequences for last night." answered Nathan.

Jodie nodded, thankful that Cole wasn't in any trouble, "How did they find us?"

"They've been tracking you and JD since you escaped. You both gave them the slip quite a few times, which was impressive. But they wanted to kill you." said Nathan, "But I convinced them to wait a while. Watch you both from a distance."

Wanting to take the man at his world, but she was still skeptical. So Jodie went for the bombshell.

"What happened to my mother, Nathan?"

The man was silent for a few seconds before answering, "Norah...was unstable. They were afraid she was a danger to herself...and her baby..."

"My mother would never hurt me." Jodie said, quick to defend the woman she had just met.

"They couldn't take that chance," said Nathan, "Look, I was a researcher at the DPA, Jodie. I didn't discover until much later what happened."

"Then why all the lies, Nathan?" Jodie pressed, "Those...people, pretending to be my parents?"

"The DPA thought you needed a stable emotional environment; a home, loving parents, some semblance of a normal life." Nathan replied, "Whatever would help us study you in the right conditions."

Jodie blinked, in shock at what she had just been told. "Study me?" she said, almost whispering. "Study me?!" she exclaimed, getting louder, "Just what the hell was I to you, Nathan?! A little...LAB RAT?! I was just a girl for fuck's sake! I was just a little girl!"

"You were the link!" Nathan said abruptly. "The link between our world and the Infraworld. You were everything we ever dreamed of."

Jodie shook her head, standing up and walking a couple feet way, "So now what?!" she demanded, "You're just gonna hand me back to the CIA? is that 'The Plan', Nathan? What about JD? Where is he?!"

"They brought both of you here because they have something for the two of you two do and they'd be grateful if you'd do it." said Nathan.

"You're asking us to help the people who tried to kill us?! Who USED us?! Are you fucking serious?!" the young woman shouted, getting angrier by the second.

"Listen, Jodie-" Nathan stood and approached her.

"Why the fuck should I listen to you?!" Jodie exclaimed, stepping away from him. "You WORK for them, and you LIED to me about my mother and my parents. And for WHAT?! The money?! Or the power?! Or the FAME?!"

"Stop that, Jodie! You know that's not true!" Nathan shouted back.

The young woman got quiet, but the anger never left her eyes. "The only thing I KNOW, is that that the only person I trust right now, the person I LOVE, is here somewhere...and I want to see him...NOW."

Nathan took a deep breath, knowing that he wouldn't get anywhere like this and wisely decided to relent. "Alright...alright, Jodie. I'll take you to him."

 **X**

On another level of the facility, JD sat cross-legged in the middle of a 10X10 room with only a door leading in or out. Bare foot with only a white t-shirt and jeans, his hands bound infront of him with metal shackles while a black electric collar was around his neck that had a green light on the back.

In each corner stood a guard in heavy armor with assault rifles aimed at him, being sure that he didn't move while he sat there with his eyes closed.

When he woke up after being knocked out, the people here were right in the middle of trying to put the collar on his neck. They weren't expecting him to suddenly be awake and go on the attack. Knocking out five guards, injuring two others and blowing apart the lab he had been in before they hit him with a couple of darts that shocked him. The electricity making him lose focus over his psionics and giving them the chance to shackle him and put the collar on that blocked him from using his powers.

Since then he'd been here, under heavy guard and waiting for the right moment so that he could get out of here. He needed to find Jodie. She was here, somewhere, he could feel it.

 _"Just need to bide my time..."_ he thought, remaining in a meditative state to calm his mind.

The sound of footsteps could be heard outside the door a moment before it opened, followed by a gasp.

"JD?!"

JD's eyes snapped open and he saw Jodie standing in the door looking in at him.

"Jodie!" he exclaimed as she ran in and hugged him tightly. The guards raised their weapons but another voice boomed at them.

"Stand down!" The psionic looked up and was surprised to see Nathan of all people there as well.

"Nathan..." he said, almost unbelieving.

The man smiled at him, "It's been a while, JD. Though I wish it were under better circumstances."

Jodie looked the psionic over, stopping when she saw the collar around his neck. "What the hell is this?" she said, glaring back at Nathan, "What the fuck did you do to him?!"

Nathan held up his hands, "Easy, Jodie. It's a device designed to nullify psychic abilities. It's not harmful. JD here nearly killed some people when he first woke up, so I ordered to have him brought here for his safety and the safety of everyone in the facility."

"So you're the one that had us brought here." JD said, his eyes turning sharp. "What now? Hand us back to the CIA? Or do to us what was done to Jodie's mother?"

The man who had helped raised them closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "I'll explain everything when we get back to my office." he looked at one of the guards and nodded. The man walked over and produced the key to the psionic's shackles and undid them.

Rubbing his wrists, JD stood up and stretched his legs. "What about..." he motioned to the thing around his neck.

"You planning on going on another rampage?" Nathan asked with a raised eyebrow, using the same tone he did back when the psionic had gotten into trouble as a kid.

"Depends on how things go." JD replied shortly.

"Then it stays on until we've all had a talk. Sorry, I have to think of the people here." Nathan answered honestly. "You have every right to be angry with all that's happened. But I can't have you hurting folks who were only doing their jobs."

As much as he wanted to argue, the psionic knew the man had a point. But that didn't make the situation any better in his opinion.

Nathan led the couple from the room and down the halls back to his office. JD not at all bothered by the fact he was barefoot, especially now that Jodie was at his side again and knowing that she was safe.

In all honesty, he would have brought the whole place down if it meant finding her.

Getting back to Nathan's office, Jodie and JD stood at the man's desk while he took up the opposite side. "Before I start, I want you both to know that I understand completely why you have so little trust in me now. After everything that happened with the CIA, and what you have learned recently, it's warranted. But I also want you to know that you are very much safe her, I've made sure of that."

JD snorted, scratching at the nullifyer around his neck.

"Why are we even here, Nathan?" Jodie asked pointedly.

The new head of the DPA sighed, "We know for certain that another country has discovered the Infraworld." he stated, garnering the complete attention of the couple, "They think it is something to be controlled and manipulated. They have no idea what they're dealing with. If entities enter our world...Do either of you know what that would mean?"

"I'm not seeing how this is any concern of ours." JD said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Because no one knows the Infraworld better than Jodie, and you're the only one ever recorded to be able to combat entities that have entered our world." said Nathan.

Jodie shook her head, "That's the CIA's job, and we're done with that." she stated with finality.

Nathan closed his eyes, taking a moment to collect his thoughts before opening them again. "They want to offer you both a deal." he said, getting their focus again, "You do this for them, and they'll let you out. Both of you will be free."

"And you expect us to believe that they would stick to that so called 'deal'?" JD fired back. "Come on, Nathan. Don't take us for the same kids we were back in the day. We're too 'dangerous' for them to control, they'll just lock us away the moment this so called job is done. Pump us full of enough drugs till we won't know our own names...just like Norah."

He turned his head and looked at the readouts on the wall behind his desk, the ones that were connected to the condenser they had here in the facility. "Do either of you know what would happen if a passage was opened? It would be the Apocalypse."

"Yet that didn't stop you from attempting to pry open Pandora's box before, did it?" the psionic argued back. "This ISN'T our fight, Nathan."

"Can you honestly say that you could live with yourself if could have stopped the end of the world and ended up doing nothing?" the man argued back.

"DON'T THROW THAT SHIT IN OUR FACES!" JD bellowed now standing eye to eye with Nathan with the desk between them, "All our lives you've had us locked up at the DPA, constantly under supervision. Then out of left field you HANDED us over to the fucking CIA! They used us to kill innocent people and expected us to be their little secret weapons!"

Unknown to the psionic, the rise in his emotions were causing his powers to steadily rise, the nullifyer buzzed, working harder to keep the psychic energy contained.

"An now...Now you drag us here where you're doing what Jodie warned you to never do again while telling us the CIA want to use us again with no fucking guarantee that they won't either kill us or seal us away at some damn black site in the middle of nowhere."

JD's fists slammed on the desk as he glared at Nathan, "Unless you have something better at hand than simply your word, which to me amounts to shit these days, then we're walking out of here. And for the sake of anyone that tries to stop us, they best have a good insurance plan with this place..."

The tension in the office was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Jodie could only look on from the sidelines as two of the most important men to ever be in her life were locked in a battle of wills against one another.

"...Jodie." Nathan said, not taking his eyes off the psionic. "Could you leave the room for a bit, I want to talk to JD alone."

She looked to her lover who also wouldn't break eye contact, "It's alright, I got this."

Nodding, Jodie quietly left the room. Hoping that things didn't come to blows between the two as she closed the door behind her.

When the latch was heard Nathan reached down and pulled open a drawer in his desk. JD's muscles tensed, prepared for anything...anything except the small black velvet box the man set on the surface between them.

A box he hadn't seen since the day before the CIA mission to Somalia.

"This was found in your bedside table when they combed your apartment after you and Jodie went rogue." Nathan said, "I made sure that it was brought to me for safe keeping, encase I ever saw you again."

JD picked up the box, feeling its texture on his fingers before gently opening the lid. Revealing the same sparkling diamond ring settled within that he had wanted to see on Jodie's finger more than anything.

"When you kids were younger, I knew that your friendship was something special. And when you got together...I knew that you would always protect her, always be there for her, and always love her." Nathan continued, pride seeping into his tone for the young man before him. "I could see that everything you did when you guys went on the run was for Jodie. That amount of dedication and courage makes me proud of the man you've become, and I know your parents would say the same."

The psionic was silent, still looking at the engagement ring in his hand. "JD..." he looked up at Nathan, his anger from before simmered down for the time being. "You and Jodie can't keep running. What kind of life are you hoping to give her if you're constantly looking over your shoulders your whole lives? With the whole world out to get you?"

JD sat in one of the chairs on his side of the desk heavily, any fight that he had in him drained out in moments. As much as he hated to agree with the man, he was right. What kind of life could he provide Jodie if they continued to be in hiding?

She may have hid it well, but he could see she was tired. Tired of running and hiding, of not being able to have a normal life because they were avoiding being captured.

Jodie deserved more than that. God knew that he'd walk through Hell if it meant keeping her safe and happy...but could he really go through with something that could put them on CIA leashes again?

Seeing his internal struggle, Nathan came around the desk and put a hand on the psionic's shoulder, "I know I'm asking a lot. I've asked so much out of the both of you for so long. But I want you two to have everything you deserve, and that includes a life where you're happy together with a bright future...with a family of your own to cherish."

JD looked up at Nathan, his eyes hardening. The ring box snapping closed in his hand when he came to a decision...


	23. 22) Dragon's Hideout

_**I was sure of one thing that had changed with Nathan Dawkins over the years. The man knew how to play dirty.**_

 _ **And the worse part was that he had been right.**_

 _ **There was no way Jodie and I could have a peaceful life, not with the CIA hounding us. And if Nathan was right about us being pardoned after dealing with this other condenser situation, then there might not be any other way to be free of them.**_

 _ **Jodie was already feeling similar on this, if anything to be sure that innocent people didn't suffer for people tampering with something that was better left alone. Though like me, she was skeptical and on guard about the CIA pulling a fast one, despite Nathan's word.**_

 _ **Even though we were both heavily against getting involved in all this again, neither of us saw any other way around any of it without risking our lives trying to go on the run again. We got lucky the first time, they would be expecting us to make another attempt.**_

 _ **In the end, we agreed to help put an end to the Infraworld experiments going on outside the US. But Jodie and I also were sure to keep our eyes open and wits about us, preparing for anything that came our way from the mission and what followed after.**_

 _ **However, I ended up having another surpised for Jodie, one that gave us both something even more to fight for to get through this in one piece.**_

 **X**

Deep within the DPA installation, JD and Jodie sat side by side in the middle of an operations center with Nathan taking up the psionic's other side.

He'd been given his clothes and shoes back, but the people at the base were adamant about him keeping the nullifyer around his neck to avoid an 'incidents'. Naturally, JD was pissed. But kept it to himself for the sake of getting this meeting over with so he could have it removed.

"According to our intel, the Republic of Kazirstan has discovered the existence of the Infraworld." The old General spearheading the briefing spoke, the monitors on the table before them showing the information he was referring to. "They found a rift, conducting experiments from a secret base, located in the province of Felhanjiang."

"We don't know at what stage they are in their experiments," Nathan added, "But we've detected important fluctuations within the Infraworld. That means they found a way to interact with the other side."

The General leaned on the table and looked at the couple, "Your mission, is to destroy this condenser, and any other advanced technology you find. I have an understanding that one of you is good at such a task." he sent a look toward JD who only smirked back at him.

"Even if we manage to destroy the condenser, the rift will still be there." said Jodie.

"Building a condenser is a costly and time-consuming business." replied the General, "With this operation, we'll gain time to better understand the Infraworld, and to make sure that no one will try to use it against us."

"Can we safely assume that the place in question will be heavily guarded, inside and out?" asked JD.

The older man nodded seriously, "You should expect considerable military resistance. Your team will-"

"Team?!" the couple said at the same time. The General and Nathan shared a look before the DPA director pressed an intercom system on the table.

"Show them in, Marla."

With that, the door to the op center opened and three familiar faces stepped into the room;

Vince and Nick, who had helped train them for the CIA, and Ryan Clayton.

"Well, if it ain't Romeo and Juliet." Vince said with a wide smile along side Nick, "Been a long time you two."

"Clayton's team goes with you, a small agile Commando unit able to avoid detection." stated the General. "The mission begins in two days. Good luck." with that the man left the room without another world.

JD shook his head and stood, along with Jodie and turned to leave as well until Nathan grabbed her arm;

"Becareful out there, both of you." he said sincerely. "No one knows what you're going to find on the other side."

"I don't think either of us are ready to join the Infraworld just yet." Jodie replied.

Nathan nodded, "Good...because I don't want to lose either of you." he reached behind JD and deactivated the nullifyer with a small keycard he had in his pocket, allowing the younger man to remove it finally. Giving them both a pat on the shoulder before leaving as well.

"It's good to see you both." Ryan said, coming up to the couple.

"Blow it out your ass, Clayton." the psionic snapped, turning around and glaring at him with his eyes flashing with his newly restored psychic energy. "The only thing keeping me from smearing your smug, self-righteous ass on the wall is the promise of Jodie and I being done with this shit when it's all over."

The other man had the decency to take a step back, "That goes for me as well." Jodie said, crossing her arms beside her lover, "When this mission is over, we're gone. No more hunting us, no more lies, and no more CIA bullshit." with that being said she took JD's hand and they both walked out of the op center together.

 **X**

Given that they weren't allowed to leave the DPA facility, Jodie and JD were given a private suite similar to what they had growing up.

The nostalgia was not lost on them when Nathan gave them the quarters to stay in, thankfully this time there weren't any cameras or two-way mirrors for people to watch them. With the whole facility filled with guards and defenses, the couple would be hard pressed to escape without notice.

Stepping out of the bathroom connected to the bedroom of their suite, JD rubbed a towel over his head drying out his hair while only wearing a pair of dark-blue basketball shorts that were provided along with various other clothes for the both of them.

"Atleast their giving us privacy." he muttered, finishing shaking out his hair while tossing the towel he'd been using on a nearby rack.

Not getting a response, saw Jodie sitting on the corner of the bed wearing only a grey tank-top and black panties with her hair done up in a ponytail. Her fingers playing with the locket around her neck that she'd gotten from her mother as she stared at the wall ahead of her, lost in her thoughts.

"Jodie?" JD asked gently, sitting down beside her.

She blinked before looking up at him, exhaustion brought on by all the stress within the last 24 hours clear in her gaze.

"Are we doing the right thing?" Jodie asked, sounding as tired as she looked. "After everything that was done to us, should we even be going through with this mission?"

JD took a deep breath, "Honestly? I have no doubts that the CIA will try to pull something when the mission's over. But at the same time, I don't think Nathan was lying to us. Even though my thoughts on his word are biased at best, he's done right by as to a certain point. All I can say is that when we deal with this other condenser and get back, we keep our guard up and prepare to fight."

Jodie nodded in agreement, thinking back on her conversation with Nathan after she woke up in his office.

"He told me they were observing me." she said peaking her lover's attention, "Ever since they took me from my mother. Nathan said they put me with the Holmes' so that I would be raised in an emotionally stable environment so they could keep tabs on me. He said I was the link between this world and the Infraworld. All my life...I've been some kind of subject to study to these people."

JD kept his anger in check as he wrapped an arm around Jodie and pulled her into his side, her head nestling into his shoulder almost immediately. "Whatever their reason, no matter how selfish, I can say that there is one good thing that came out of that." he said, causing his lover to look up at him. "I got to meet the most amazing girl in the world. Got to be her friend, and so much more."

Jodie smiled, a light blush on her face as she laid her head back on his shoulder, "Yeah, I don't regret that part at all." she said softly, kissing the side of the psionic's neck. Her thoughts going back to when Nathan had her leave his office so he and JD could speak to each other.

She also remembered how pacified her lover was when she came back into the room, always wondering what they had talked about to cause his anger at Nathan to drop so quickly.

"JD...what did you and Nathan talk about?" she asked, "You don't have to tell me, I'm just wondering what he said to you to get you not to tear the whole facility down.

JD tensed, debating on whether or not to come clean about the whole discussion or not. "Nathan used my greatest weakness against me...you." he said bluntly, which had Jodie sitting up in alarm. "He's always known how much I care about you, about how far I would go to make sure you were happy. And reminded me that I couldn't give you a good life if we were constantly running from the CIA."

The psionic looked his lover in the eyes, "I'd do anything, ANYTHING, to give you the life you deserve, Jodie. That is how much you mean to me...how much I love you. Even if it means having to clean up the CIA's mess one last time."

"...JD." Jodie whispered, at a loss for words with tears gathering in her eyes. JD stood up from the bed, going over to where his jacket was laying on the back of the couch in the living room of their suite and digging through one of the pockets before coming back into the bedroom.

Her mouth dropping when he knelt infront of her and showed her the small velvet box he retrieved.

"I got this not long after we moved into the apartment when we worked for the CIA. I was waiting for the right time, but we went on the run, and keeping you safe was my only concern from then on out...Nathan had this with him, holding onto it until we saw each other again." JD explained, opening the box and hearing Jodie gasp when she saw th ring inside.

"Jodie, ever since we were little I knew you were special. Not because of Aiden. But because you are smart, caring and one of the most courageous people I have ever known. You were everything I could ever want in a friend, a girlfriend, a lover...and a wife. I want a future with you, a family, kids, all of it. There's no one in this life, or the next, that I would rather be with than you. So...will you say yes...?"

Jodie, who had a hand to her mouth with her tears spilling over nodded quickly, "Yes!" she said through a happy sob before nearly jumping from the bed and tackling JD to the floor in a tight hug. Her lips fused to JD's that held no intention of breaking for a while.

The psionic, grinning into the kiss, wrapped his arms tight around his new fiance and using his own strength to sit them up with her sitting in his lap. When their passionate lip-lock finally ended, JD slipped the ring on Jodie's finger and was relieved to find that it was still a perfect fit like he originally intended.

"When all this BS is over, and we're away from the CIA and DPA, I'll be there at the alter." JD said smiling.

Jodie smiled right back, "I'll meet you there." she said, kissing him again while pushing him down on his back and straddling him. Sending a mischievous grin down at her soon-to-be husband before pulling her tanktop up over her head and tossing it away.

"A little anxious for the wedding night?" JD quipped, not at all hiding the glances at Jodie's bare upperhalf.

Rolling her eyes, Jodie laid over him and kissed him again, "Shut up and make love to me." she whispered against his lips.

"Yes, ma'am." was the psionic's only response before they got lost in each other.

They had two days to prepare for the mission, and they were going to spend it how they wanted.

 **X**

 _ **It wasn't the way I wanted to propose to Jodie, but the end result had been worth it.**_

 _ **In the days that followed we spent much needed time with each other, taking time to do what we needed to prepare for our mission but more or less focuing on what our future would be when it was all said and done.**_

 _ **And I wasn't ashamed to admit there was a healthy amount of physical attention involved during those two days. Though neither of us would ever complain about that either.**_

 _ **Though all things come to an end eventually, Jodie and I were well rested and ready for what waited for us.**_

 _ **Though, like everything that's happened in our lives up to this point. Things never go according to plan...**_

 **X**

The province of Felhanjiang was summed up in three words; Too. Damn. Cold.

It was a literal blizzard with over a foot of snow in almost every direction, the weather being treacherous to the point that the team had to dress in full winter gear, all in white to keep them concealed in the storm, with skis to help them traverse the terrain.

They reached the coordinates given to them, and after three days of travel they came to an old fishing village with rundown buildings in various forms of collapse.

"It's completely deserted!" Nick called out over the wind.

Ryan, who was at the head of the group, looked back toward Vince who had been elected to keep track of the location of their target. "You sure it's here?!"

"We're right on top of the coordinates!" the man called back.

"Storm's getting worse! What do we do now?!" said Nick as the blizzard became harsher around them.

Vince looked to the back of the group we're their youngest members were closer together. "Jodie! Ask Aiden to find us shelter somewhere!" he yelled back to the young woman he helped train.

Jodie looked up at the entity, "You hear that, Aiden?"

Aiden echoed before floating off, the storm having no affect on him as he managed to locate a house that was relatively intact compared to the rest of the village. His host leading them to the building he had found.

Kicking off their skis and leaving them and the poles outside, they quickly entered the house out of the storm. "Jesus, fuck! It's fuckin' freezin'!" Vince bellowed, trying to warm himself up.

"What are we even doing here? It's just a goddamn fishing village!" Nick threw in, also trying to stave off the freezing bite in the air.

JD pulled Jodie close to him, putting up a minor barrier to give them both some warmth.

"Our informer duped us, that's what happened." said Vince, sounding as piss off as the rest of them felt. "We better get movin' before they have to dig our frozen, dead asses out of here."

"Three days...walking on ice...eating snow...for nothin'!" Nick muttered angerly. "Fuck! I find the asshole that sent us here..."

"Hey!" Ryan shouted, cutting the two other men off, "I'm sick and tired of hearing your complaining! If that's all you have to say, then shut the fuck up!"

JD grit his teeth, brushing past the three older men toward an old stove that had wood still in it. Looking around, he discovered a couple of old books that he tore apart and stuffed into the opening before taking out a lighter and sparking a small fire.

The psionic stood back upright and looked at the group, "Survival first, bitching later. And Clayton, you better get ahold of your superiors and figure out what the fuck is going on."

That being said, the group split up and started to set up camp in the hold house to hold up until the storm had passed. Vince and Nick were working around the fire, cooking up a couple of MREs and heating water for the others while Ryan worked on a laptop, attempting to contact HQ.

JD moved about the home, using his TK to lift up pieces of broken furniture to seal up the broken windows to keep the heat of the fire inside while Jodie checked their equipment.

"I'm gonna step out, been needing to pee for a while now." said Jodie.

Her fiance nodded to her, sending her a subtle look to be careful as she made her way to the door.

"Don't go too far out." Ryan called from his space.

"It's minus 40, I don't plan on doing any sightseeing." Jodie replied curtly before stepping outside.

The man who had been both her and JD's handler in the CIA sighed before looking at the psionic who was still hard at work securing their temporary camp. "I take it you guys are still angry with me, huh?" he asked.

"What was your first clue?" JD shot back, not even looking his way.

Ryan shook his head, "Look, I get it. And I know it probably won't change either of your minds, but I do regret what happened." he said with as much honesty as he could.

JD looked to him then, and the man could see his words had no affect instantly. "Actions speak louder than words, Clayton. And so far you've done nothing to prove otherwise."

Neither of them said a word to each other after that. A few minutes passed before Jodie came barreling into the house;

"They're here! I saw them!" she exclaimed, causing all four men to perk up.

"Where?!" asked Ryan.

"On the main road, a convoy of armored cars. They drove right by me." the young woman replied.

"Did they see you?" said JD.

Jodie shook her head, "No, no I don't think so."

They all quickly gathered up their gear and went in the direction the convoy had been going. The tracks from the vehicles still very fresh in the snow and giving them a clear path to follow. Their skis helping them glide across the ground silently

With Jodie and Aiden in the lead, the team went past the fishing village and came upon a sight that had a man-made opening coming out of the ground where the tracks ended.

All of them quickly dropped to their stomachs, lowering their visibility as they surveyed the opening. "Bingo." said Ryan.

Sending out Aiden to scout ahead, JD entering his astral form to join him, the duo went into the structure and found it to be a submarine docking bay. Soldiers milling about loading crates of supplies and equipment into the water crafts.

Through Aiden's vision, Jodie reported what they had found to the others.

"So the rift is located underwater." said Vince.

"They must have a base down there, using the subs to shuttle people and supplies." said Jodie.

"How many soldiers?" asked Ryan.

"Three, two of them took a sub leaving two others docked." said JD, returning to his body.

The man nodded before turning to Jodie, "Have Aiden take them out, then open the door for us."

Jodie nodded in return, instructing the entity to do just that. A minute passed before the large door opened, inviting them in.

"So, what do we do now?" asked Nick as Aiden de-possessed the guard he had taken allowing the man to shoot him.

JD crouched beside one of the subs, looking over the controls carefully. "We did simulations on piloting subs like these." he said outloud, "Maybe we could use that to our advantage."

"Yeah, sure..." Ryan said sarcastically, "Let's use their sub. They won't notice a thing. I'm looking for a PLAN, not a way to commit suicide.

The psionic clenched his fist, doing all in his power not to blast the asshole back to the states.

Jodie saw this and quickly knew where he had been going, "He means like a Tojan horse." she said, kneeling beside one of the guards and began removing her winter gear, leaving her in a tan tanktop and camo BDUs while quickly pulling on the guard's uniform.

"That's not going to work for very long." Ryan tried to reason.

"It won't have to." JD said, using TK to bring another guard's body over so that he could follow Jodie's lead. "That rift won't shut itself down, and eventually they're going to wonder what's happening topside. Face it, the clock started ticking the minute Aiden took out the guards."

"So, what exactly IS the plan?" Ryan questioned.

"Take the sub down to the base, then go from there." was Jodie's to the point answer as she and JD stood there in their disguises.

Ryan nodded, "I'll go with them."

"What about us?!" Nick demanded.

"It's a two-seater, but one of us can use the handrails for support. You two stay here and you find us a way out. By the time we get back, there's a good chance we're gonna have to move fast." their team leader stated. Quickly changing into the last availiable uniform and taking the explosives they would need before climbing into the sub with the couple.

Finding them in the pilot and co-pilot spots with Jodie at the helm.

"You guys realize that we might not make it back alive, right?" he asked, getting a good hold on a nearby handrail.

Jodie paused, "Yeah," she said, her other hand reaching out and taking JD's, "Yeah, we've both known that from the start."

Giving her hand a reassuring squeeze, the psionic turned back to the censors while his fiance began piloting the sub. The craft going beneath the water and entering a small cave system that was lit with electric torches to light the way.

Visibility was rough, but Jodie managed to pilot them through the tunnels without too much issue. Finding the base they were looking for in no time at all, the sub entering the docking bay and coming to a stop within.

"Now what?" asked Ryan, still skeptical about this plan.

"We find the condenser, destroy it, then get out." Jodie replied.

"And...any idea how you plan to do that?"

JD reached into his pilfered jacket and produced a sidearm with a silencer attached, "Keep our heads down, and play it by ear. We've made it this far." holstering the weapon, he got up from his seat and approached the hatch, opening it slowly, he peered out and took in all the guards around them, making sure that none of them were paying close enough attention before motioning to the others to follow.

All three of them out of the sub, Jodie quickly instructed Aiden to possess a man in a General's uniform. Signaling to the two men to follow her as she followed the possessed General.

"I can't believe this actually worked." Ryan whispered as they made their way down the corridor leading away from the docking bay.

"Just find the condenser quick before any of them realize what is up." Jodie said back, JD bringing up the rear, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

Reaching a sealed red door with guards standing at attention, the possessed General swipped his card giving them access to another room with another door, an obvious security checkpoint.

Going through the next door, they entered another corridor leading farther in.

JD felt unease creep up in his chest. Something didn't feel right. "I can feel echoes from the rift. The condenser must be close." Jodie said ahead of him as they started down the corridor.

They passed through some kind of barrier...and Jodie screamed.

JD quickly caught her as she collapsed to the floor, looking back to the barrier and to his shock saw something attempting to push its way through it with no success.

"It's...Aiden..." she whispered, in pain and weakness as alarms sounded all around them, soldiers coming out and aiming their weapons at the trio along with the now freed General.

Ryan immediately put his hands in the air in surrender...but JD had no intention of giving up without a fight.

His aura flaring, the psionic fired a psi-blast into the nearest soldier, sending him and the one standing behind him flying down the hallway and slamming into the wall, blood spraying across dented metal when both impacted in a tangle of shattered limbs.

The General and his men were frozen at the display, "Get Jodie on the other side of that barrier." JD said, his powers fluctuating as he prepared to fight.

Ryan could only nod, scooping up the young woman and getting her out of harms way and reestablishing her connection to Aiden in the process.

"Alright, boys." the psionic said with his eyes flaring with blue ethereal power as he took in his opposition. "Lets dance."


	24. 23) Leviathan

After dealing with a couple of guards that were in their path, Ryan brought Jodie into the nearest room which held various crates of supplies.

Setting the young woman comfortably against the wall, the agent quickly started going through the crates and found various guns and ammo among them. Gathering what he could while keeping an eye on the door incase someone suddenly came in.

Jodie groaned, coming back to consciousness and feeling a familiar presence envelop her for comfort. "Aiden..." she said smiling, feeling her loss strength at their sudden separation quickly returning.

The distant alarms around the base brought her back to the present as she saw Ryan moving about collecting weapons. "Ryan? Where's JD?" she asked while getting back to her feet.

"He's holding off the soldiers, giving us time to figure out what to do from here." the agent replied, slapping a fresh clip into an assault rifle. "I only hope he doesn't bring this place down with all of us still inside it."

As much as she worried about the psionic, Jodie knew that her fiance could handle himself and quickly took out her pistol and checked the magazine. "We can't get farther into the base with that containment field in place. The people here must have set it up to keep entities from escaping."

"Or getting in." Ryan said, remembering what happened to Jodie when they crossed the barrier. "If that's the case, then we gotta find the controls for the containment field. No point in going in quiet now."

Jodie nodded, both of them now armed and ready as they opened the door to the storage room...

Three soldiers greeted them with guns drawn, but the one in the back suddenly jerked, eyes rolling over white before raising his weapon and shooting the other two in the back before turning the weapon on himself.

"Thanks, Aiden." Jodie said to the entity as the three of them started searching for the containment controls.

 **X**

A soldier was shouting in his native language as he fired his rifle at full auto, a psi-blast connected with his chest, the force shattering his ribcage and sending him slamming into the base's metal wall.

JD snapped his silent pistol up and fired a bullet into the man's head for good measure before firing two more quick shots, nailing a second soldier twice in the chest and dropping him.

The whole base was on high alert, the alarms blaring loudly in his ears, but the psionic was intending on keeping their attention on him and give Jodie time to recover so that she and Ryan could figure out where the condenser was located.

Whatever had happened back at the barrier they passed through, he wasn't about to risk Jodie's life like that. And as much as he still didn't trust Clayton, he was the only chance at helping them through this.

It was the lesser of two evils to JD, and he could deal with that.

More gunfire was heard up the corridor, the psionic ducking around a corner as bullets struck the wall where he had been standing. Dumping the spent clip of his pistol, he quickly loaded a fresh one before charging psychic energy to his free hand. When there was a break in the shooting, he whirled around the corner and launched a shockwave that flowed down the corridor, knocking the men off their feet and sending them crashing to the floor and walls.

JD's feet was moving the moment the attack was fired, shooting one man in the head as he passed them as another was up and swinging a punch toward his flank.

Ducking under the strike, the psionic grabbed the soldier's arm and twisted it upward. Firing a bullet pointblank into his side before twisting the limb behind his back and shooting him in the back of the head.

Two more soldiers rounded the corner on the other end of the corridor and opened fire. JD spun the now dead body around as the rounds tore into it, firing his sidearm over the corpse's shoulder in return while he backed up to an alcove with a locked door.

Safely out of the line of fire, JD dropped the body and took a couple deep breaths. It had been a long time sense he'd been in a fight like this, and as much as he loved the rush of adrenaline, he needed to keep his wits about him if he hoped to get himself and the others out of here alive.

The loud clank of metal drew his attention to the door he was beside, the hatch opening with a pair of arms holding an assault rifle coming out into the open.

Thinking fast, the psionic quickly kicked the door, causing it to slam on the limbs coming through it and the owner to scream in pain when they were crushed in the doorjamb. The rifle clattered to the ground as JD pulled the door open and shot the man in the face before he had a chance to recover, picking up his dropped weapon in the process.

Another soldier was in the room and shot at the psionic, one of the rounds clipping him on the side of the leg as he dove behind a couple crates for cover.

"Fuck!" JD cursed, hand pressed over the bleeding wound as he summoned his healing ability and set to work repairing the damage.

The door he had come through banged open as the two men that had been shooting at him in the corridor stormed in. The psionic snapped up the assault rifle he picked up and emptied the clip into the soldiers before they could get a bead on him.

Throwing away the spent magazine aside, he used TK to bring over the spares the men he just killed had on them and loaded a fresh one. More bullets peppered the other side of the crates. Peering around the edge of his cover, he saw the remaining soldier ducking back to reload.

Holding out his hand, JD reached out with TK and grabbed the crate the soldier was behind and 'shoved'.

The man barely had a moment to cry out in surprise as his crate launched backwards and crushed him against the back wall of the room.

"Hope the others are having more luck than I am." he muttered, bringing up his new rifle and continuing his path through the base.

 **X**

On the other side of the facility, Jodie and Ryan had finished clearing out a room with a large control panel and servers lining the walls.

"Think this is it?" asked Ryan while reloading his rifle.

"It's gotta be." Jodie replied as she started going over the data readouts listed on the monitors on the wall. "Yeah, this is it. We shut this down it'll turn off the containment field..." she paused when something caught her attention.

"Well, what's the problem?" asked the agent coming up beside her.

The young woman sighed, "This thing will shutdown ALL the containment fields. Any entities that these guys have locked up will be released as well." she said grimly.

Ryan paused, starting to rethink their plan more than a little. "Is there a way to only shut down the fields keeping us from the condenser?"

Jodie shook her head, "They're all hardwired together, they really did want to make sure nothing got in or out." she looked over her shoulder at him, "It's the only way for us to get to the condenser."

She pressed her earpiece, hoping to contact JD before they went through with her plan. "JD?! Can you hear me?!"

A moment passed before the line opened with gunfire in the background, _"A little busy at the moment, babe! What's up?!"_ the psionic's voice exclaimed over the fighting.

"We found the controls for the containment field. But if we shut it down this place will be swarming with entities." Jodie said, while at the same time hoping that JD was keeping his head down out there.

 _"Do what you have to! I'll be alright! I think I found where they're keeping the condenser! Come find me after you shut down the fields!"_ more gunfire was heard in the background, _"Dammit! You may wanna hurry! Can't hold these guys off for much-"_ the line suddenly cut out, leaving nothing but static.

"JD?...JD?!" Jodie shouted, worry eating away at her stomach when there wasn't a response. "Fuck!" she glared down at the controls before grabbing the lever that would shut down the containment fields, pushing it all the way forward until it locked in place.

 **X**

Another series of alarms blared throughout the base as the protective barriers set up to keep the entities coming from the rift contained went down. The soldiers who were unprepared as the deadly spirits came flying through the walls and started tearing them apart.

Complete chaos is what greeted Jodie and Ryan as they left the control room and saw the living shadows viciously killing the soldiers around them as they feebly tried to fight back with their weapons.

Ryan looked on in horror as he watched the carnage. "Aiden, lead us to JD!" Jodie shouted over all the noise.

The entity echoed a confirmation as he led the duo through the halls in the direction of where he could detect the psionic. All of them doing everything they could to keep out of sight of the entities attacking the base, some of them feeding on the bodies they had just killed giving them time to make their way to their objective.

"This...this is crazy!" Ryan said, ducking as an entity flew past his head.

"We're almost there!" Jodie called back to him as Aiden blast his way through a sealed door to give them an opening. Turning a corner in the next corridor, they found themselves in another, smaller, docking area meant for diving, the backwall being dominated by a large, reinforced window that showed the underwater abyss beyond.

JD stood leaning against the window, looking winded with an assault rifle at his side but still smiled at the arrivals. "What kept ya?" he asked casually.

Jodie jogged up to him, immediately noticing that he had several cuts and blood all over his pilfered uniform. "You okay?"

"Most of the blood isn't mine, otherwise I've had worse." replied her fiance. "The rift is out there" he pointed out the window, showing a fluctuating tear in reality shining in the darkness of the ice-cold water.

"Only one dive suit." Ryan called out from the far corner where a suit and diving rig were set up.

"I'll go." Jodie volunteered before either man could get a word in edgewise. "Aiden and I can get the explosives on the condenser."

"You sure?" asked JD.

The woman nodded, "We got this."

"I'll head back to the sub docks and secure our exfil." said Ryan, tossing the satchel of explosives to Jodie."Try not to take too long."

"Five minutes is all we'll need, just be there when we come running." said Jodie as she started stripping down to her tanktop and underwear and started putting on the wetsuit.

The agent nodded and turned to head out, "Seacrest!" he paused and looked back at JD, a little surprised at hearing his old nickname from the psionic.

"I still don't forgive you...but you're off to a good start, don't blow it now." JD said, holding out his fist to the older man.

Ryan smirked back and tapped his knuckles to the psionics before jogging off into the base.

Jodie made quick work of getting the wetsuit on before slipping into the weighted dive-boots can clamping them over her legs and feet. The rest of the dive rig came next, coming down over her upperhalf and sealing into place with a HUD readout coming on inside the dome covering her head.

"You sure about this?" asked JD, not liking the idea of her going out there alone. Even if she had Aiden with her.

"Not really, but we don't have enough time to think of other options. This is our one shot." Jodie replied, her voice distorted from within the suit. "I'll be alright."

The psionic placed a kiss on the glass of her helm, "You better, Miss. Holmes."

Smiling at him, Jodie went over to the dive pool and jumped in. The dive-suit kept the biting cold from her body, but she still shivered when the sub-zero temperatures closed in around her on all sides. Her boots slamming onto the ground below as she took in her dark surroundings.

"I'm pretty scared here, Aiden." she whispered to the entity as she turned on the built in flashlight of the suit, "Stay close, okay."

Aiden echoed in encouragement as they started to move forward. The weight and pressure of the water slowing her down greatly, but she pressed on, determined to end this before the Infraworld came into the living world.

Spirits from the rift swam through the water around her without a care, not at all bothered by her presence as she followed the metal path that led her to their origin.

The walk thankfully wasn't very long as Jodie found herself looking at the equipment that kept the rift open and contained. Similar to the one she and JD had shut down back when they were teenagers but with more efficiency.

Jodie took a deep breath, the echos of the rift washing over her, "Alright...let's do this.". She approached the first pilon powering the condenser and took out a brick of C4, setting the timer for three minutes before placing it on the unit.

Repeating this with the other two pilons, she activated the timers and began making her way back...barely making it a couple of meters when she felt a sudden shift in the echoes coming from the rift.

Turning around slowly, Jodie came face to face with an entity in the shape of a massive eel. Its jaw opening wide enough to swallow her whole as it roared loud enough to shake the cavern they were in.

"Oh Fuck!" Jodie shouted, scrambling back away from the beast as she started moving as fast as she could back to the base. Her HUD flashing red with warnings letting her know her oxygen supply was running low and wouldn't last much longer.

With Aiden doing his best to distract the attacking entity, Jodie managed to reach the base of the ladder that would take her up into the diving area. But before she could grab the first rung, she was encased in blue ethereal energy and lifted up toward the surface.

Brought into the diving bay, Jodie was set down on solid ground before an extra pair of hands pulled the upper half of the dive-rig off.

"You good?!" JD called out over all the alarms, having seen the thing chasing her and used TK to bring her back up.

"Yeah!" Jodie gasped, taking in deep breaths of air while pulling off the dive-boots. "We gotta go! Less than three minutes before-"

She was cut off as the long tail of the entity that had been chasing her came up through the dive-pool.

"RUN!" Jodie screamed, both she and JD diving to the ground as the tail whipped over their heads, the sharp tip slicing into the metal wall behind them like it was butter.

When the tail retreated, the couple sprinted toward the exit. Following the corridors leading back to the sub-docks. The whole base shook, the bellowing roar of the malevolent entity reverberating through the walls as water began to fill the facility.

Dodging around various obstacles, the couple had to change direction several times as the massive tail speared through the base and blocked their path. The freezing water now up to their waists, they managed to avoid getting killed at several points, climbing through a half broken doorway into a still, relatively, dry corridor where they kept running as fast as their legs could take them.

Rounding one last corner, JD could see the blast door that led to the docking bay.

"There's the way out!" he shouted as the base shook again. The warning lights on either side of the door flashed as it started to slowly close.

"It's sealing up! MOVE!" the psionic bellowed as they started running again for all they were worth, stumbling as the facility continued to shake until they reached the end and slid along the floor, making it through the opening just as the blast door sealed behind them.

"Shit...that was close." Jodie said between gasping intakes of air.

JD shook his head, "Not out of the woods, yet. We still gotta-"

Gunfire erupted from somewhere in the docking back, rounds pelting the metal around the couple. Both of them quickly scurrying behind pieces of equipment for cover.

"You...Stupid BASTARDS!" a voice shouted from the other end of the room. On a scaffolding near the last sub stood the same General Aiden had taken control of when they first arrived at the base. His hat missing, uniform torn and face covered in scratches, assault rifle in hand with a look of utter hatred on his face.

"Do you now realize what you have done?! The years of research lost?!" the General bellowed, firing his weapon at where Jodie and JD had taken cover. "Now! Now there's going to be nothing left!"

"Where the hell's Clayton." JD said, taking out his sidearm and checking the last clip he had for it.

Jodie had Aiden survey the room, coming back to her a moment later. "He's near the General...JD, he's not moving." she said, the image of the man laying by the sub still clear in her mind.

"Neither of you will be leaving here alive!" the General exclaimed, shooting several more times before making a run for the sub.

"Don't fucking think so!" JD shouted as he burst from cover, firing several rounds from his pistol in one hand and psi-blasts from the other.

The General wasn't prepared for the sudden assault, scrambling back to avoid getting hit by bullets and psychic attacks while returning fire.

Grabbing a metal lid cover with TK, the psionic brought it before him to absorb the bullets before hurling it across the docking bay. The projectile slamming into the man and sending him flying off his perch and hitting the ground hard.

Not giving the man an inch, JD was on him as he tried to get back to his feet. Tossing his spent sidearm aside and raining blow after heavy blow upon the General, each one sending the man's head slamming into the metal floor.

The General attempted to grab the psionic's neck, his face bleeding and swollen as he tried to fight back.

JD grabbed one of the arms, violently twisting it to once side until he heard a loud crack. The man screamed in pain, which intensified when he did the same to the other arm, making him immobile.

"You can die with this place." the psionic spat at the man, punching him one last time knocking him out before standing and making his way over to where Jodie was crouched beside Ryan's body. A pool of blood spreading along the floor beneath him with several bullet holes in his chest.

Looking up at him, Jodie shook her head after having Aiden check for life. "The General must have got him when he came to secure a sub..."

JD took a deep breath, summoning his power and lifting the body with TK. "No man left behind." he said as he carried Ryan to the sub and lowered him inside. He and Jodie quickly following.

The duo strapped themselves in with Jodie at the helm, powering the small craft up and descending into the water. Cranking the engines as fast as they could manage as they zoomed into the tunnels moments before the base exploded.

The shockwave from the blast rushed after them, slamming into the back of their sub and rattling it violently. Causing red lights and alarms to come on along the controls as the craft lost power.

"What just happened?" JD said as he checked his side of the controls.

Jodie flipped a few switches before cursing, "Shit! The shockwave took out the boosters." looking over her shoulder, she saw water spraying into the compartment and starting to fill up the sub. "Hull's breached too."

Turning back to the controls, she saw that their depth wasn't too far from the surface, but it was quickly drifting downward without the engines to keep them afloat.

"We could swim for it...maybe we can make it to the surface alive."

"We'd freeze to death whether we do or don't make it topside." JD replied, wracking his brain trying to find another answer. Looking around the sub again, an idea came to him. It was a huge risk, but it was a better chance that attempting to swim.

Unbuckling from his harness, he sloshed through the currently shin-deep water until he was at the middle of the craft, bracing his arms tight against the walls before closing his eyes. Concentrating with everything he had on the sub as his aura flared brightly to life.

Jodie's eyes widened, "JD, NO! The sub's too heavy!" her cry fell on deaf ears as JD grit his teeth, his psychic energy spreading out from his body and along the hull of the sub. Their descent came to a stop...and slowly started to ascend to the surface.

The psionic focused all his power into his TK, sweat dripping down his face with a couple of veins protruding from his forehead. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears, the rate of his heartbeat picking up speed as he strained to push the sub upward.

Turning back around in her seat, Jodie saw that their depth was dropping rapidly, they were only a hundred meters from the surface now and getting closer.

"We're almost-" She spun around and her mouth dropped in horror.

Blood started dripping down from JD's nose, splashing into the cold water at his feet while more dripped from his ears. If not for the red warning lights bathing the interior, she would have also seen his face bright red from the amount of strain he was putting on both his body and his mind.

 _'Just...a little...more...'_ he thought through the pain, keeping his focus centered.

 _'Just a...little...more...'_ the surface was closer, he could sense it through his aura.

JD's mouth opened and a roar of exertion vibrated through the sub, eyes clenched tightly shut as he pushed what little he had left into his power.

 _'Just...a...little...MORE!'_

The sub breached the surface, raising up above it shrouded in psychic energy before it hovered a couple meters over snow covered land where it dropped upright.

Arms falling to his sides, his aura fizzling out like a dying fire, JD opened his eyes which were both bloodshot and gave a small smile to the still frozen Jodie.

"...heh...made it..." his knees collapsed from under him and he fell to the deck the moment the words left his lips.

Jodie was out of her chair and by his side in half a second, rolling him over in-time to see his eyes rolled into the back of his head before going completely motionless.

"JD!" she screamed, checking his pulse and finding his heartbeat extremely weak and fading, "No no no no no no no! Wake up! JD please wake up!" holding his head to her chest, Jodie rocked back and forth and started crying.

"John...please..." she gasped, "Don't...don't leave me...you promised..."

Aiden flew down and looked over the psionic. His body was very weak from the amount of strain he had been under to lift them from the ocean. Using his supernatural abilities, he poured his own aura into JD. Healing as much as he could so that his heart wouldn't give out.

Seconds passed, then a minute, Jodie could sense what Aiden was doing but continued holding JD with everything she had. Praying to whoever or whatever was listening to not take him from her.

Another minute went by before JD's chest lurched. Jodie snapped her head up just as he took in a harsh gasp, coughing several times as he tried to suck air into his desperate lungs.

His eyes blinked, vision foggy, his head ringing and feeling like a jackhammer was working on his brain, he glanced around before looking up at his fiance who waited with baited breath.

"...Gotta be dead..." he whispered, his voice hoarse and exhausted. "Only angels...can look that perfect..."

Jodie gave a teary laugh before burrowing her face into his neck and embracing him. "Don't scare me like that again, you asshole." she said through tears of joy.

Too weak to move, JD settled into the embrace. The two of them sitting alone in silence with the wind howling outside.


	25. 24) Black Sun

_**I barely remember much after getting the sub on land. I woke up in the DPA medical ward a few days later and Jodie filled me in on the details.**_

 _ **Thankfully, Nick and Vince got their hands on an armored truck and found as a few minutes after getting the sub's signal after the base exploded. They got to us, loaded us onboard and we were headed home in no time.**_

 _ **When we got back to the states I was sent to the hospital on site to be examined and treated before being moved to the DPA HQ when they were sure I was stable. The docs all said the amount of strain my body had been under from overuse of my powers could have killed me if I had pushed anymore.**_

 _ **Thankfully there was no permanent damage done, and Aiden made sure of that which I was even more thankful for.**_

 _ **Ryan's body had been sent to his family for burial. As much as I had issues with the guy for his part before mine and Jodie's defection from the CIA, I couldn't completely hate him.**_

 _ **He gave his life attempting to give us a way out of that base, and I was sure to honor him for that sacrifice. It was the right thing to do.**_

 _ **With the mission done and over with, the only thing left to do for Jodie and I was to collect what we were owed, then start planning our future together.**_

 _ **We both had high hopes for what waited for us...but the common theme in our lives since the beginning was that even the best of hopes didn't come without a price...**_

 _ **And the two of us, it would seem, had one last one to pay.**_

 **X**

"The active condenser in the Republic of Kazirstan has been destroyed and the rift is now inaccessible." General McGrath stated to the men and women seated in the DPA op center, following the full report of the mission debrief that had been given. "We are now the only nation with access to the Infraworld."

"This situation, opens up new strategic and military perspectives. We're going to launch new programs to discover possible energy resources and develop military applications. We've already found ways of linking entities to human soldiers and this is just the beginning." the General continued.

From her seat, Jodie had heard more than enough and quietly stood and walked out. This man and his people were making a HUGE mistake. The Infraworld wasn't a place to exploit, a place they could control.

They were all just too ignorant to understand what they could end up unleashing upon the world.

She and Aiden were both in agreement that the world would be a better place without McGrath in the picture. But they'd gotten their hands dirty enough doing his work for him, they had something better to focus their attention on.

Following the same path she had been going down for the last week since they arrived back from the mission, Jodie entered the hospital wing and into a familiar room where JD was sitting on the edge of his bed dressed in a black t-shirt, jeans and a pair of converse shoes with another doctor preforming tests.

"For the last time, doc. I feel fine." the psionic said exasperated from all the tests and exams he'd been put through since coming back. "No more headaches, heartrate's fine, and no excessive bleeding."

"Sorry, Mr. Vattic. But it's routine. Especially given your supernatural abilities." replied the doctor. "We can't take any chances of you having a relapse or going into a coma from overexertion."

JD groaned, flopping back on his bed with his hands covering his face. Jodie couldn't help but laugh at her fiance's plight.

Her heart stuttered a bit thinking about that, the fingers of her right hand playing with the engagement ring worn on her left. They could finally have a peaceful life now. Go someplace quiet, just the two of them and live happily.

Just the thought of it had Jodie smiling softly.

"So, how was the meeting with the top pricks of the nation?" JD's voice brought her out of her happy thoughts. The doctor having left the room a moment ago.

"McGrath makes me sick." she replied with a harsh sigh, "The only reason they had us do any of that was so that the US would be the only one to control the Infraworld."

The psionic shook his head, "These people are fucking with an ACME dynamite kit. It's gonna blow up in their faces one day. Hopefully we'll be far away when that happens." he smiled at her knowingly, "Speaking of which...did you decide on where you want our honeymoon to be? I'm still voting for Hawaii, someplace warm without a single sign of snow anywhere."

Jodie laughed again, leave it to JD to bring up her mood no matter how down she was. "I'm pretty sure you just want to see me in a bikini everyday, Mr. Vattic." she said grinning.

JD grinned right back as he stood from his bed and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, "Oh no, Miss. Holmes. I intend on keeping you naked in bed for a while." he said huskily which caused Jodie to blush and her body to heat up.

Just as they were about to kiss, a throat clearing by the door broke them apart. "Good to see some things never change." Cole said, having just walked in on their moment.

"You mean you breaking up a good time for us?" JD said with a raised eyebrow. Jodie smacked his arm playfully before turning her attention to Cole.

"What's up, Cole?"

"Nathan's looking for you. Thought I'd take you to his office and figured I'd find you here with loverboy." replied the researcher.

JD rolled his eyes, "Ha ha, Cole." he laughed sarcastically, "You're just jealous cause your prime passed...what? 15 years ago?"

Cole pointed a finger at him non-threatening, "Hey! Just because you're marrying my princess here don't mean I ain't afraid to kick your psychic ass up and down this facility."

"Oooooh, bring it on 'old man'." JD egged with a wide grin.

Jodie sighed and rubbed her eyes, "Guys, get over yourselves." she looked to her fiance, "Better see what Nathan wants, you going to be okay without me for a few minutes?"

"If my boredom don't kill me first..." the psionic exaggerated, being silence when Jodie kissed him before following Cole out of the room.

 **X**

The trip to Nathan's office was uneventful, Jodie and Cole spoke to one another about what she and JD were going to do next and the researcher telling her how proud he was of both of them.

And that Jodie would be a good wife and mother someday which had her blushing.

After being dropped off, Cole saying he was going back to the hospital wing to hang out and talk with JD while she spoke with Nathan. Jodie entered the man's office where he sat behind his desk, looking up and smiling at her arrival.

"Jodie! Glad you could come!" he said coming around and embracing her. "I know this last week's been tough, especially after JD had to be hospitalized. I'm just glad that the two of you are safe again."

Jodie said nothing, not even really responding to the hug as they stepped back from one another, "We kept our part of the bargain," she stated simply, "Now, it's the CIA's turn."

Nodding, Nathan turned to his desk and picked up an envelope with Jodie and JD's names on it. "As far as the CIA's concerned, you two no longer exist." he said, handing her the package.

Opening it, she found two passports. Each with a different name and identity for her and JD to start their new lives. And a personal check for $750,000 for 'services rendered'. More than enough for the couple to make a new start.

"Thanks, Nathan." said Jodie, honestly grateful for all of this as she pocketed everything and turned to leave.

"Before you go..." Nathan's voice stopped her. "There's one last thing I'd like to ask."

She turned to face him, and the man looked a little older than a few moments ago as he looked at a picture of his family. "When my wife and daughter died in that accident fifteen years ago, I wanted to die too. I cried a lot, banging my head against the wall, trying to figure out why? Why? Why them?"

Jodie looked on silently as Nathan became lost in his memories, "Never being able to hold them again. It was like a wound that wouldn't heal." he turned and faced the girl he'd helped raise, "But then, you came alone. And I realized...they were still here all the time, near me. I just couldn't see."

He walked over to a wall that had a hand-print reader next to it. Placing his palm on the scanner, the wall opened up to a secret room.

A private lab, all in white with equipment set up and notes on the walls and nearby white boards. "The government gave me everything I needed to study the Infraworld." Nathan started to explain as we went to a computer terminal set beside some kind of device mounted to the floor, "They were interested in military applications. I was interested in seeing my family again...It's taken me some years, but I finally succeeded in creating this."

The machine started to power up, acting like a miniature condenser with the lights going off as the image of two ghostly figures could be seen above it. Both clearly female that were reaching out to Nathan.

"Hello, my darlings..." he said in a watery voice, reaching out but unable to touch them. "Helen...Laura...I miss you so much."

Nathan turned to Jodie, who was looking on in stunned silence and heartbreak, "I come to see them every day. Soon we'll be together. I'm working on a modified condenser that can communicate with souls of the Infraworld. Speaking with the dead, Jodie...can you imagine?"

"What do you want from me?" Jodie asked...something deep within her own soul telling her that something was wrong with this.

"I want you to help me talk to them." Nathan answered, sounding hopeful. "I wanna hear their voices. I wanna tell them what I'm doing. Until I finish my research, you're the only on that can do it."

Jodie shook her head, aghast as what he was doing and asking of her. "Nathan...they're dead. They're in the Infraworld now. You cannot make them come back. I'm sorry...I can't help you."

Nathan's face was blank, "I haven't heard their voices in fifteen years...since that day I heard them through a little girl...you." tears started falling from his eyes, his voice breaking. "Please, Jodie. I'm begging you..."

Her heart was torn. Jodie knew that deep down this was all wrong, that Nathan needed to move on. But at the same time she could tell that he was broken, always had been and hid his pain from the rest of the world.

As much as she didn't want to do it...she believed the man deserved some form of peace.

"Give me your hands." she said holding hers out, Nathan took them eagerly as Aiden connected her to the spirit of his wife. Her eyes rolling white as the deceased woman took over.

"...Helen?" Nathan asked, smiling, "My darling. I missed you so much."

"Let us go Nathan!" Helen Dawkin's voice cried from Jodie's lips, sounding as though she were in pain. "You're hurting us! You've got to let us go! LET US DIE!"

Nathan scrambled back, breaking the link, "You...You're lying!" he shouted in anger, "Helen didn't say that, YOU DID!"

"You're keeping them here..." Jodie said in horror. "They're being torn apart between two worlds!"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Nathan bellowed. "YOU'RE LYING! I KNOW THEY WANT TO BE WITH ME AGAIN!"

"They're suffering, Nathan." Jodie tried reasoning, "If you love them, if you REALLY love them, you've got to let them go. You can't cheat death!"

"CHEAT DEATH?!" the man shouted, "Death is NOTHING! You hear me?! NOTHING!"

Jodie shook her head, realizing how most Nathan had become all these years. "Goodbye, Nathan." her soft spoken words almost extinguishing the man's anger instantly, "I hope you find peace." she turned and left the office, not looking back.

Making her way down the corridor to the elevator, the only thing on her mind was getting back to JD and the two of them leaving. She'd had enough of this place.

Opening the doors, she was greeted with two men with rifles aimed at her.

Startled, Jodie took a step back before something slammed into the back of her neck, her whole world going dark.

 **X**

"So, do you guys have anything planned out for the wedding?" Cole asked as he and JD were relaxing in the latter's hospital room.

"Nothing yet. Something simple though, since we don't really have much." replied the psionic. "We were hoping to go somewhere warm afterward though."

The researcher gave him a rather serious look, "Kids?"

JD thought a moment or two, "She'd be an amazing mom." he said softly. "Even though she has her reservations about it, given her own upbringing and finding the truth about her birth mother, I've seen her maternal instincts." he remembered back when they were with Stan and the others almost a year ago and how Jodie was around little Zoey.

"I'm hoping you guys don't jump into any of that too soon." said Cole, feeling older than he was seeing how much the couple had grown up.

"Our lives were always decided for us, since the beginning." replied the psionic, "From now on, we'll make our own choices. Together. And if anything should come to pass, we'll handle it. Together."

Cole smiled, "Yeah, Jodie said roughly the same thing on our way to Nathan's office." frowning, he checked his watch, "It's been a while. She should have called me by now."

A familiar feeling on unease entered JD's system, he knew he shouldn't have let her go alone, but he was confined here for the time being until released.

The door to the room opened, the two men looking up to see three heavily armed guards step inside. "John-David Vattic, you're to come with us." the one in the lead ordered.

"What the hell is this?!" Cole demanded.

"Orders from General McGrath himself." stated the guard, causing JD's eyes to narrow into slits.

 _"I FUCKING knew it! They weren't intending on letting us leave!"_ his thoughts raged.

The guards all drew tasers, one of them holding a nullifyer collar, "I recommend you come quietly, or we'll be forced to-"

A blast of psychic energy cut the man off, sending all three guards slamming into the walls painfully. "Yeah, that ain't fucking happening." JD hissed dangerously with his aura flared.

"If they came for you...then they probably got to Jodie too!" Cole exclaimed in alarm.

Grabbing a pistol and some ammo clips from the guards, JD prepared to tear through the facility when one of the body's he'd taken out rose back to its feet.

Aiming the sidearm between their eyes...he stopped when he saw that they were rolled over white. "...Aiden?" he asked.

 **"...H...elp..."** a voice rasped from the man's lips, echoing and otherworldly like it had never been used before. **"J...od...ie...tro...uble...com...e...n...ow!"**

JD understood instantly as the entity left the body and then the room, the psionic activating his aura-vision and running after him with Cole hot on his heels. Blowing past several doctors who got out of their way, Aiden led them into an elevator and activated the panel to take them to the lowest floor of the facility.

"What he hell happened up there? I thought you guys were pardoned?" Cole questioned as they rode the lift.

"They were never going to let us go, Cole." JD said with ice in his voice as he checked his new weapon. "Two powerful assets running around free? No way in hell they weren't going to pull something. Fuck! Should have gone with her!" he cursed at himself for not thinking ahead like that.

The doors opened and the duo stepped out into a lobby area where a guard was stationed at the front desk. "Yes, can I help you?" he asked standing from his chair.

"Cole Freeman, I have level three authorization. He's with me." Cole said, motioning to JD as he made sure his pistol was tucked away in the waistband of his jeans.

The guard checked his computer, "Hmm, I'm sorry, Mr. Freeman, you do not have the correct authorization for this level."

"You may wanna check again." JD said, clenching his hand.

"Sorry, but this level is classifi-" he froze when his body was encased in psychic energy. His head slamming hard onto the desk with enough force to knock him out.

"Jesus JD!" Cole exclaimed in shock.

The psionic didn't reply as he jumped over the desk and accessed the door controls, unlocking them to allow them passage. "Lead the way, Aiden." he said to the entity as he led them down the corridor and stopping by a sealed room. "Here!"

Aiden blasted the controls, causing the door to open to reveal Jodie strapped down to a metal gurney that was raised vertical. An IV injected into her arm as she raised her head drowsily in their direction.

"JODIE!" JD shouted, rushing up to her and using TK to rip her bindings apart. Taking her into his arms as Cole came up and removed the IV from her arm. "Jodie, baby, talk to me!" the psionic stressed while holding her close.

"N-Nathan..." she said, sounding drunk-like from whatever they had been forcing into her veins. "He's...He's gonna deactivate the containment field. Around the Black Sun."

"What?!" both men exclaimed in alarm.

"Why?! Why would he do that?!" said Cole.

"He's gone insane." Jodie answered, becoming more lucid as time went by, "He thinks he's gonna get his family back. We gotta stop him!"

The whole facility suddenly shook violently, warning lights and alarms blaring all throughout the complex over the sounds of people panicking in the distance.

 **'WARNING. CONTAINMENT FIELD SHUTDOWN. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. PLEASE EXIT THE BUILDING IMMEDIATELY.** The PA system announced to the whole base.

"The containment field..." Cole said with terror creeping into his voice, "Oh, Christ...he's done it!" he exclaimed, not wanting to believe it as he ran back out into the hall.

"COLE!" JD shouted after him before going back to Jodie, "Are you okay to move?"

Jodie nodded, "Yeah, I'm okay. We gotta move now before it's too late!"

The couple ran after the researcher as he led them through the now chaotic halls of the facility. Entities came flying out of the walls, ceiling and floors attacking anyone in their path while the building itself shuttered on its very foundation.

Avoiding the countless dangers in their way, the group managed to get to the elevator and seal the door. "There might still be a chance to reactivate the field." Cole said as he hit the switch to the proper floor. "...if it isn't already too late."

When the lift stopped and the doors opened, they were greeted with soldiers screaming as they tried, and failed, to fight back against the otherworldly spirits.

Many of them covered in some kind of shielding that flickered around their bodies, but did almost nothing to stop the entities from ripping them to pieces.

Right as they reached the end of the corridor, General McGrath came seemingly out of nowhere and grabbed Jodie by the shoulders;

"Jodie! You're the only one who can stop this! Dawkins has gon-" JD slammed his fist into the man's face, sending him crashing hard to the floor.

"That's for using us." the psionic hissed through clenched teeth, taking out his pistol and shooting the man in the kneecap. "And that's for taking my girl." grabbing Jodie's arm, he led her through the door Cole had gone through, leaving the screaming, bleeding General to his fate as entities swarmed him on all sides.

Now in the control room for the large condenser, Cole was typing away as quickly as his fingers would allow. Outside the protective glass, the Black Sun was fluctuating out of control. The rift to the Infraworld threatening to expand and take everything with it.

"Dammit!" the man cursed, slamming his fist on the console. "I can't stop the condenser or reactivate the field!"

"There's gotta be something, Cole!" JD said over all the alarms.

Cole ran his hands over his head before an idea hit him, "Wait...there might be something!" he motioned to the airlock-like area at the back of the control room. "Hurry! We're out of time!"

Once inside with the door sealing behind them, the researcher grabbed an odd looking belt from a nearby rack and put it on. "What are you doing?" asked Jodie.

"It's a portable containment field." explained Cole. "Should protect me long enough to reach the condenser and trigger the manual self-destruct." the belt activated and a shimmering field appeared around him, just like the ones on the soldiers before. "Might be our only chance to close the rift. It's a long shot...but it's the best I got."

"Cole, you can't do this alone." said JD. "I saw the soldiers outside wearing the same thing, the entities tore through them. You won't last in there."

"Then let's up the odds." Jodie stated, grabbing herself a belt and putting it on. The psionic smirked at her before taking his own and clipping it around his waist.

Equipment secured, and fields activated, the trio stepped into the elevator that would take them down to the main floor;

"The Black Sun is at the center of the dome." Cole said, laying out the plan for what they were about to face. "No one's ever been before so there's no tellin' what we'll find down there."

"How much time do we have after activating the self-destruct?" asked JD, his psionic's flaring to life around him in preparation.

Cole sighed, "The system was designed to activate remotely...the explosion with be practically instantaneous..." he looked at the couple with a sorrowful expression.

"We're not coming back..."

The silence in the lift after that was deafening. Jodie's hand reached out and held JD's tightly, the psionic gripping back as they continued to descend.

Nothing needed to be said. They both knew they had the other at their side...to the end.

The blast door opened, allowing them to run down the corridor that would take them to the Black Sun.

However, the sight of dozens of dark entities had them skidding to a stop and taking cover behind pieces of equipment laying about.

"The condenser zone is on the other side of that door." Cole said, motioning to the entry on the other side of all the entities.

"How do we get past them all?" wondered JD. "They'd take us apart before we get three feet in."

"They haven't seen us yet." Jodie said, taking a look and seeing the spirits milling around. "It's our only chance."

"Then we better make it count." the psionic replied to her, all of them waiting for the right moment before sprinting from their hiding places and hunkering down again before they could be seen.

One of the entities screeched at where Jodie was set up before flying off in another direction. They repeated the same maneuver and stopped in time to see a guard that was still alive get dragged off into the shadows.

They kept moving, staying out of sight until they were close enough to the door to make a break for it. By that point, the entities had seen them and gave chase.

Jodie and JD made it first, but Cole lagged behind not being as fast as the younger couple. He was a few meters from the door when one of the entities shot toward him, shattering his containment field and slicing through his torso.

"COLE!" Jodie screamed, seeing him go down and running out to him. JD behind her, firing psi-blasts into the incoming entities and keeping them at bay as she helped Cole up and half dragged, half carried him through the entry.

When they were clear, JD slammed his fist on the panel by the door and sealing it so that they weren't followed.

Laying Cole down on the floor, Jodie checked the damage and saw the deep gash in his side. "Fuck...fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!" she cursed repeatedly as the man coughed.

"I'm sorry, princess...you two are gonna have to go on without me." he said, even though it caused him pain.

"No, no, no...No way! I'm not leaving you here!" Jodie stated firmly, tears already gathering in her eyes and voice cracking.

Cole smiled at her, "Find...the Black Sun, Jodie. Or NOBODY will make it..."

JD came over and crouched beside him, the researcher reaching out and clasping his hand, "You better take good care of her...you hear me?"

"You never have to ask, Cole." the psionic replied, a tear escaping his eye as well.

Aiden came down and healed the man's injury as he passed out from the pain, giving him what comfort he could.

"Aiden's all that he can." Jodie said, the two of them standing together and approached the adjacent door that would take them where they needed to go.

JD stood by the panel, hand over the switch to open it when he looked back at his fiance, his lover, his friend, and smiled;

"You and me against the world..."

Jodie smiled back, "You and me against the world." she repeated as the psionic hit the switch. The ground shaking beneath them as the huge blast door rose upward. Bright yellow light greeted them as they shielded their eyes.

Nothing could be seen beyond, save for the rift in the very center that was completely black and shifting as if it were a living being.

"The Black Sun." JD said, equal parts awe and anxious as he felt the power of it wash over them.

"Let's finish this." Jodie said with steel in her voice as they stepped out into the unknown. The door closing behind them and sealing them in.

 **X**

It was like walking into a hurricane. The howling winds from the rift whipping around them making every step a battle.

The sounds of souls screaming from the Infraworld rang out through the air, a haunting melody of what may wait for them at the end of their trek.

All around them, images of people started to appear. Many of them speaking in soft tones too low to understand, while others spoke about their regrets, their loved ones, and the lives they lived before passing.

"Who are they?!" JD called out over the wind.

"Souls!" Jodie called back, "Lost souls!

Doing their best to ignore the spirits, some of them even approaching the couple, Jodie and JD kept pressing on. JD bringing up his hand and forming a barrier infront of them to add a little extra protection as they struggled to reach the Black Sun.

"HELEN! LAURA!"

Nathan's voice bellowed from somewhere ahead of them, through the haze of light the couple could make out his form attempting to reach the rift as well.

"Nathan, stop!" Jodie shouted, drawing the man's attention.

"I can't find them! I call them but they don't come!" he said as he kept searching the void around them.

"Look at what you've done!" the young woman reproached, "You've destroyed everything because you can't face the truth!"

Nathan shook his head, his appearance disheveled and broken as he raised his right arm, aiming a pistol at Jodie, "I miss them...I miss them so much!" he cried in grief.

JD was infront of his fiance instantly, his own weapon aimed at Nathan. "Let's us pass, Nathan! We have to stop this before it's too late!" he demanded, not wanting to shoot the man who helped raise him since his rebirth.

But he would if it meant stopping all this madness.

"The condenser must be destroyed!" Jodie kept trying to reason with him, "You know it's the only way!"

Nathan cried silently, a broken man who suffered loss and was unable to move on. But deep down, he knew that they were both right. This needed to end...

He raised the pistol and put the barrel to the side of his head.

Before Jodie or JD could say or do anything he pulled the trigger, his body crumpling to the ground where a bright-blue aura began to raise from him. The aura reforming into a younger, cleaner dressed Nathan Dawkins who stood smiling at them.

The man's spirit turned just as the spirits of his wife and daughter came running up to him, the three of them embracing for the first time in over 15 years.

"I missed you." he said in tearful joy, "I missed you so much..." Nathan looked over at the couple, who couldn't help but smile at seeing him and his family together again. "You two are the only ones that can fix this. Do it...do it for me."

With that, the three spirits dissolved into specks of light and vanished back into the rift. Back to the Infraworld.

Slipping the pistol back into his jeans, JD turned to Jodie. The duo nodding to each other silently as they continued on their path. The wind getting more violent meaning they had to be getting closer to the condenser

A feral roar could be heard somewhere ahead of them, a large, shapeless form flew in the air above their heads and came back around to reveal a dark entity that was easily ten times bigger than all the others they had encountered. It's mouth open wide and tendrils lashing as it dove at the couple.

"LOOK OUT!" Jodie screamed, she and JD diving to opposite sides as it streaked past them.

The psionic rolled to his feet and fired a barrage of psi-blasts after the monster, the entity coming back around, the attacks only stalling it for a second as it came after him.

JD avoided the gaping maw intending to swallow him whole, but one of the entity's tentacles managed to catch him in the side and sent him sprawling out on th ground.

Jodie saw her lover go down, but narrowly dodged when the entity came at her next. The young woman rolled, jumped and kept out of reach of the attacking monster. But it wouldn't give her an inch to escape as its tentacles wrapped around her legs and started dragging her off.

"JODIE!" JD shouted, running toward her to help only to be taken off his feet as another entity caught him off guard. Shaking off the impact, the psionic charged his powers and launched a strong psi-blast into the entity that attacked him, sending it screeching into the void.

Escaping her own entity's clutches, the couple regrouped and stood back to back as more dark spirits started flying around them in a loose circle.

"We're surrounded!" JD said, his powers flaring brightly.

A burst of static could be heard between them, their containment field sparked before deactivating leaving them exposed.

"Shit! My field's down!" she said, messing with the panel on it and trying to get it working again. An entity flew down, attempting to get to her only to be blasted away by JD. The psionic looked her belt and his own and saw the power units on both had been damaged.

"The power units are fried!" he shouted, firing another psi-blast to keep the entities at bay. Looking toward the rift and seeing how close they were.

Gritting his teeth, JD removed his belt and tossed it aside before holding his arms out and forming a barrier around the two of them. "Keep moving!"

Jodie wanted to argue, but they didn't have the time. Tossing her own useless belt aside, she stuck close to JD as they moved together toward the rift. The psionic keeping the barrier up as they moved while the entities flew around them like hungry sharks.

The force coming from the opening to the Infraworld became more intense, threatening to overpower the couple as they soldiered on. Dark, shadow-like skeletons rose up from the ground at their feet, grabbing at them as if to stop their progress.

Aiden came to their aid, blasting the clawing entities away and keeping them protected.

JD dropped the barrier and grabbed Jodie from behind when she started to stumble, keeping her held close as they kept pushing forward.

Images passing by them, moments in their lives. In his case, the psionic saw two sets, one of his life before, and the other from the new one he had been given. Both of them blending together in a blur of memories that had defined who he was.

Jodie going through something similar, from her earliest memories leading to when she met JD for the first time, to all the adventures they had as they grew up to their journey as a couple. She felt his grip on her tighten, reassuring her that he was still there with her through it all as they came upon a control panel for the condenser.

Reaching her hand out, Jodie grasped the lever to initiate the self-destruct. JD's hand coming up and laying over hers, his face beside hers;

"No matter what! I'll always be by your side!" he shouted over the loud howl of the rift.

"I love you, Jodie Holmes!"

"I love you, John Vattic!" Jodie shouted back as they yanked the lever together.

There was a pause, then their whole world exploded in bright white light...


	26. Epilogue

Within a higher plane of existence, Itherael, the Archangel of Fate stood staring into a portal that showed him one of the many mortal worlds outside his realm. His interest focused on the lone soul he had sent on what many would consider an impossible journey.

Since the day he had woken in his new body, Itherael watched JD as he adapted to his new life. Coming into the power his new form had been gifted with while forming an unbreakable bond to the young girl tied to the soul of her deceased twin brother.

Their adventures together were perilous, fraught with danger and betrayals at nearly every turn. Yet together they had managed to overcome everything that got in their path, standing united as they grew together side by side.

Itherael watched as the couple struggled toward the rift leading to the world of lost souls. His brother Malthael, the Archangel of Death, took the mortals of this world interfering with his realm as a grave insult.

The former Angel of Wisdom had been tasked with safeguarding the souls of mortals millennia ago, and was very keen on ensuring that the balance between life and death was maintained. But when the mortals discovered a way to access, and by extension disrupting, the souls on the otherside they began tampering with the balance and nearly bringing about their worlds destruction.

And as fate would have it, the task of sealing the realm of lost souls had fallen upon JD and Jodie.

If there was one thing the Archangel was sure of, it was JD's drive to do what was right. His courage and heart guiding him even through the darkest of places. And the girl, who became the woman of his heart, only made him stronger still.

Turning his gaze toward Talus'ar, the ancient scroll held gently in his hand. The passages where the two mortals' souls should have been written remained blank...but it was to be expected.

Neither JD or Jodie had achieved their true fate. Even now that their fates have become intertwined with one another, their purpose still exists.

Two realms needed to be saved by these brave souls...and with the destruction of the rift leading to the world of lost souls, one had indeed been saved by them.

But this was only the beginning of their journey. One final world needed their courage and strength if it intended to survive its own impending darkness. And by doing so, the couple will find the peace they have been rightfully searching for.

Looking back at the portal as he watched the rift be destroyed, Itherael reached out and touched the surface. The image rippling like water as the two mortals it showed vanished just before the blast overtook them.

The other mortals that would come looking for them will assume they were dust in the wind from the terrible explosion...but in truth, they will be far from their reach.

In another time and place similar to their own, but at the same time very different.

 **"Your journey is only just beginning."** Itherael said as he watched the couple reappear where they would be needed the most. **"We will speak again very soon, JD. Your purpose, is far greater than you could ever know."**

 **X**

In the center of a grassy field; JD and Jodie's unconscious forms laid side by side. Their clothes torn in a couple of places with several visible cuts on their faces and arms from their ordeal.

Though Jodie's left hand was still firmly grasped by JD's, in the same position they were when they stopped the Black Sun, neither of them were aware of their surroundings or the great change that had just occurred to them.

Footsteps could be heard on the grass, drawing closer to the unconscious couple until a shadow was cast over them, followed by a soft gasp...

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

 **X**

 **A/N: After almost two years, over 100,000 words and more than a couple sleepless nights, the first part of the Beyond Death series is finally complete!**

 **I'm already hard at work planning the next step JD's journey. And since this is essentially a form of dimension jumping series the options are literally limitless from here on out.**

 **Even though this story was part of a category with only 100 entries, I'm actually quite proud with how it turned out. To those that have been there in the beginning, thanks for sticking with me since chapter 1. And t** **o those that just barely got into it, thank you for the added support. I'm still hoping to make this series something worthwhile, and I don't intend on stopping now.**

 **So keep a lookout, Part 2 will be here sooner than you think...but not in the same category that you would expect.**

 **Until then, ladies and gentlemen, this is XAgent-Venom666X signing off!**


End file.
